Word of the Week - Spiritual Disciplines

Get the truth and never sell it; also get wisdom, discipline and good judgement. Proverbs 23:23

Spiritual Disciplines Spiritual disciplines are habits, practices, and experiences that are designed to develop, grow and strengthen our spirit man allowing us to grow closer in relationship with God.  There are profound parallels between training the physical body and the spiritual soul.  Using the analogy – spiritual disciplines are ways for us to grow in spirit and expand the breadth of our inner life through structured workouts of the soul and spirit.  Some spiritual disciplines are personal inward exercises that are practiced alone while others require interpersonal relationship and are practiced in community.  I would like to be clear that I am not advocating religious activity or works to win God’s approval but simply proven daily practices that build godly strength and character and nurture relationship with the living God.  As Christians we know that salvation is received by grace alone, the spiritual disciplines are not a way to earn ones way to heaven, but rather are the means by which to put oneself in position to more fully receive God’s grace.Some of the tried and true disciplines of the Christian faith include:  reading the bible, prayer, meditation, fasting, simplicity, fellowship, journaling, chastity, stewardship, obedience/submission, study, evangelism, contemplation, confession, solitude, gratitude, self-examination, silence and celebrationQuestions and principals of spiritual disciplines:

• Are spiritual disciplines for everyone – If you desire to have a deeper, richer inner life and grow closer to God, then spiritual disciplines are for you.  We all desire to have more peace and enjoy the fruits of God’s spirit (Joy, Love, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control).  I believe, and have personally experienced, that we receive the fruits of God’s spirit as a biproduct of abiding in Christ through a real and engaged relationship.  Spiritual disciplines are simply the things/activities we can do to pursue relating with God.  If we truly love the Lord then we will want to actively engage with Him daily.  “Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all of your mind”” Matthew 22:37
• What can we expect if we faithfully walk out spiritual disciplines in our lives – First and foremost, we should expect to have a more rich and deep relationship with the Lord and experience the fruit of this relationship as noted above.  Secondly, there are many benefits that come over time as a result to include:  Hearing God’s voice more often, making better decisions, experiencing inner peace, being less impacted by external circumstances, being able to stand with moral courage, being able to persevere through hardships, overcoming character flaws and the list goes on…..  This is the process of sanctification that we experience when we actually walk out our faith through spiritual disciplines.  “Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” James 1:22
• Shouldn’t spirituality be spontaneous – Many believe that our relationship with God should be more organic and spontaneous and not relegated to a list of to-dos.  I would agree, and suggest that if we truly desire to know God and walk in relationship with Him, we must approach Him with the right heart perspective.  Similar to the marriage analogy, if I am going on dates with my wife to simply check the box and my heart is not in the relationship then I will be going through the motions and this is not very fruitful.  This can be likened to dead religion.  That being said, we generally demonstrate what is important to us by how we prioritize.  The first part of a healthy relationship is showing up, which puts us in position to experience organic spontaneous relationship with our spouse in a marriage relationship.  Similarly, showing up and pursuing God on a frequent and consistent basis puts us in position to experience whatever He has in store for us.  We must consistently be available and seeking.  God loves it when we earnestly pursue Him. “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart” Jeremiah 29:13
• We find true freedom through disciplines – The fact of the matter is that discipline is the only way to freedom.  Spirituality without discipline can become confusing and move in hapless fits and starts; it can be sporadic and dependent upon our ever changing and less than dependable feelings, moods and external circumstances.  Faith without discipline requires less effort but also typically produces less fruit.  Similar to faith without works.  For our spirit man to strengthen, it has to be trained in a consistent and deliberate way.  Just like our physical muscles need healthy exercise and resistance, our spirit man needs to be trained and strained to grow and strengthen.  This is not a spectator sport, we have to be in the game getting reps. As we gain strength in our spirit we find amazing freedom from the things that used to hold us down.  If you really want to possess power, if you really want to be free then you need structure and discipline this is the paradox of our faith. “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery” Galatians 5:1

Spiritual discipline help us develop our spiritual muscles and reflexes of the soul so we are equipped for times of trial and crisis, because they are coming.  We all know the practical value of discipline in our lives and typically apply it to other areas such as work, sports and physical fitness but it seems like few people see the need to apply it to their spiritual health and wellness. You may have never thought about disciplining yourself spiritually, but the same principles that underlie other life pursuits also apply to your spirit/soul.  As Paul encourages us in 1 Corinthians 24-27 below, as if we are training like professional athletes, so I encourage you to engage in daily and consistent spiritual disciplines of faith and see how God uses these things to bless you and produce spiritual fruit in your life, fruit that will last for eternity.^“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?  Run in such a way as to get the prize.  Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.  They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.  Therefore, I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.  No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself may not be disqualified for the prize”. 1 Corinthians 24-27 Have a great week,-Duane

Word of the Week - Stewardship

Whatever you do, work at it with all of your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. Colossians 3:23

Biblical StewardshipThe Webster definition of Stewardship is – the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care; the faithful and efficient management of property and resources belonging to another in order to achieve the owner’s objectives.  As Christians we understand that God created us and He is the provider and owner of all things.  Therefore, we are simply Stewards of what He has given us and we should always be seeking to know and understand God’s objectives for us and our lives so we can be great Stewards of all He has given us to include our families, possessions, giftings, relational influence etc.A few principals of godly Stewardship:

• Order matters most – God makes it very clear that He wants to be first, so make sure you make God the First Fruit of all of your increase.  Give God the first of your time, money, energy and He will bless the remainder.  “Seek first God’s Kingdom and His righteousness and all things will be added unto you” Matthew 6:33
• Contentment vs. Materialism – As noted in last week’s Word of the week, contentment is key to being a good Steward.  If we believe and understand that God’s plan for us is the right plan, and it is, contentment allows us to have peace and this gives us the freedom to be generous in all situations as we are more focused on pleasing God than feeding our appetites.  Paul learned how to be content in all circumstances and he was an extraordinary steward of his giftings. “For I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want” Philippians 4:11-12
• Living within our means – Contrary to what we hear and see 24/7 from our culture, the truth is that “less is more”.  As stewards of what God has given us we must learn to live within our means so we have margin (extra) to be available to God when He calls up on us.  If we live beyond our means or with little or no margin then we don’t have anything available to give.  Even though this may seem efficient it is not healthy and minimizes our ability to be good Stewards.  “Better is one handful with peace and tranquility than two hands full with toil and chasing after the wind” Ecclesiastes 4:6
• Stewardship is spiritual – The truth of the matter is that how we Steward our lives is a true reflection of our hearts toward God and our true belief in Christ.  This is a spiritual principal.  The bible is loaded with text about love of money and the challenges we all face with the battle of worldly things/possessions vs. the things of the spirit.  “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul” Mark 8:36
• There is a blessing in Stewardship – The truth of the matter is that God loves when his sons and daughters take hold of this principal and live our lives in faith as godly Stewards.  Since God is the provider of all good things He deeply desires to bless us with more resources and giftings if He knows we will use it for His purpose.  “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!  You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.  Come and share in your master’s happiness!’. Matthew 25:23

What is so awesome about the Lord is that He is an amazing Father who wants to give us the desires of our hearts, but we can only find our true heart desires in Him and thus we have the paradox of our faith.  By surrendering our lives and possessions and becoming true stewards of Christ we find true life, the abundant life.  I encourage us to continue to grow in our pursuit of godly Stewardship in Christ.^“17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. ¹⁸ Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. ¹⁹ In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”  1 Timothy 6:17-19Have a great week,-Duane

Word of the Week - Contentment

But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into this world, and we can taking nothing out of it….But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.  1 Tim 6:6-12

Why Do We Celebrate Labor Day?Labor Day is an annual celebration of workers and their achievements, originated in the late 1800s during one of America’s most challenging chapters during the height of the Industrial Revolution.  There was much achieved by our young and ambitious country at the expense of many.  During that time the average American worked 12-hour days seven days a week to eke out a basic living.  Many of these folks had no choice because they were simply trying to survive and they had the grit to do whatever it took.  Today the pendulum has seemed to have swung the other way with a culture fraught with apathy and entitlement.  God put us on this earth first and foremost to know and love Him and each other (great commandment), and secondly to be productive and purposeful.  This is godly contentment.Definition of ContentmentSo what is contentment?  The world generally defines contentment as a quality or state of being satisfied with your portion and condition in life.  This definition is mostly geared towards the physical or material state of being.  The biblical definition of contentment goes beyond the physical realm and focuses on our internal condition and perspective.  Godly contentment is much more focused on the condition of our heart and soul.  Are we at peace with God and our eternal condition?Contentment in all Circumstances Saint Paul spoke clearly about his amazing contentment in the face of many external trials and challenges in Philippians 4:11-12 “For I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want“.  I am convinced that if we receive the gift of internal contentment through our hope and trust in God, it will permeate into our external lives allowing us to find contentment in all things and situations, which is truly a blessing that we all desire.  That being said, our Western values and self-focused culture of materialism and social media makes it very easy for us to get sucked into the swamp of envy and discontentment, which at its core leads to discontentment.  It is clear that God has called His people to a life marked by contentment.  So how do we gain godly contentment and extricate ourselves from the pervasive appeals of our materialistic culture?  We seek godly purpose and contentment!!!Godly Contentment vs. Worldly Ambition This has always been an interesting and challenging topic for me.  On one hand, I love the ideal of the American Dream and grew up believing that personal ambition was a very good characteristic that gave me the drive to pursue and achieve my dreams.  I learned early in my life/career that too much ambition if not tempered with godliness and contentment can lead to destruction.  I almost lost everything (wife, family, health) during my mid to late 20’s because I was so ambitious and insecure.  Through the pain of this experience, called the school of hard knocks and by the grace of God, I discovered the amazing gift of godliness with contentment in my early 30’s and it has been life changing.  It is a beautiful thing when we come to the realization that God is our provider and He is truly the one that we should be striving to honor and please.  Most importantly that He has a plan and purpose for our lives that is way bigger and better than our own, and if we submit and align to His plan for our lives, we can live with godly contentment that Paul describes in Philippians 4 above.  This is an amazing sweet spot where we are living to our full potential by using our gifts and talents to the full while at the same time keeping our lives in good and healthy order.  It is like a world class runner who is running at an amazing pace but does not seem to be straining or struggling because they were built with the god given talent to run and they are just doing what God called them to do.  This does not mean that it is easy and they don’t give it full effort, it simply means they are doing what they were created to do and thus they are in their groove and can sustain extremely high performance for long periods because they are in their gifting.  If we “Seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness” Matthew 6:33, then we find godly contentment and will flourish.  Divine order leads to divine blessing which produces godly contentment.Have a great Labor Day…..-Duane

Word of the Week - Goodness (90 Second video must watch)

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 1 Peter 1:5-7

If we remove God, we remove His Goodness and blessing over our nation – “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end leads to death.” Proverbs 16:25  It seems that our country is on this path and headed towards a place of destruction as we try to remove God and religion from our identity as a nation.  There are many case studies throughout history that have proved this to be a perilous pursuit.  No matter your political preference, if you are a follower of God and desire to have the blessing and Goodness of God as described above, we must stand firm in keeping our “Nation under God” and vote for leaders who hold firm to our God fearing heritage.  This 90 second video produced by a Harvard Business School faculty member really drives home this reality and is something we should all watch and reflect upon https://www.youtube.com/embed/YjntXYDPw44 .What is Goodness - The spiritual fruit of Goodness enables us as sinful people to do good and to be good – good in the truest sense of the word.  Goodness, after all, is the essence of God’s nature as opposed to man’s nature, which is selfish and sinful.  Yes, contrary to today’s popular belief, we are born from sin and into sin and thus we come out of the womb sinful and selfish.  All you have to do is observe any young child and how they act when they don’t get what they want.  Yes, according to God’s Word, badness comes naturally and Goodness does not, “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Romans 8:7  This is truth.  But God has an amazing plan to radically transform our character!!  Though our natural inclination is to defy God in sin, He has determined and purposed through his love and grace to help us overcome that nature to live a life of righteousness and Goodness, which is possible only through a personal relationship with Jesus.  As the apostle John explained, “He who does good as of way of life is of God, but he who does evil as a way of life does not know God.  “By their fruit you will recognize them.  Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.”  Matthew 7:16-17.   Since we live in a fallen world we are in a daily battle against the principalities of darkness and must stay connected to the vine of Christ to overcome and remain good to bear Good fruit.God’s Goodness is a blessing to us and those around us - As followers of Christ we must seek the be transformed into the likeness of Christ so that we can possess godly Goodness and the character of Christ so that good fruit is produced in our lives simply as a byproduct of our love and relationship with Christ.  As a people and a nation we must understand that the blessing on America and her Goodness is rooted from our forefathers understanding of this truth, which led them to found our republic on a Judeo Christian foundation.  One of the most famous quotes about the blessings of America was by a French author Alexis de Tocqueville who spent years studying the success of young America and published Democracy in America in 1838.  He concluded that “America is great because America is good”.  Referring to the Goodness that comes from our Judeo Christian heritage so clearly stated on our currency “In God we Trust”.  It is our responsibility as “we the people” to do our very best to protect this amazing and godly heritage of our country, which is definitely at risk in this generation.  It is the Goodness of God that produces the Goodness of “we the people” who as a whole are the United States of America.So let’s resolve to pursue the Goodness of God through our pursuit of the Lord Jesus so that “we are not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21 “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, but especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Galatians 6:10Oh, taste and see that the Lord is Good; blesses is the person who trusts in Him!  Psalm 34:8Have a blessed and Good week in Christ,-Duane

Word of the Week - Refresh

“A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” Proverbs 11:25

Our Need to be Refreshed – The universal law of entropy is active in our world and lives each day.  Entropy is defined as: a measure of the degree of disorder in a substance or a system;  entropy always increases as available energy diminishes in a closed system; a process of degeneration marked variously by increasing degrees of uncertainty, disorder, fragmentation, chaos, etc,; a doctrine of inevitable social decline and degeneration;  Based on what has transpired in our world and country over the past 5 months, I think we would all agree that the law of entropy is alive and well, and at work in a big way creating disorder in all aspects of life.  Entropy is not only at work in our society, it is also at work inside us and impacts our family, personal relationships and everything we do, especially during particular seasons of life.  I think we can all relate to the fact that summer can accelerate entropy as we are out of our rhythms and routines and have a tendency to gravitate to less structure and order, which has been exacerbated by COVID-19.  So how do we work to oppose this negative force that leads to apathy and be refreshed by God so we can live to the full?  I believe the best way to overcome the forces of entropy is to seek the power of God by connecting with Him through His spirit.  He is a God of Refreshing, Rebirth, Renewal, Redemption, Regeneration, Re-vision, Rejoicing….Re-everything.  He designed this world such that we would be dependent on Him and need Him to overcome the reality of this world and be Refreshed in Him.Refresh your Mind:  I think if we are honest, we would admit that our thoughts are influenced by our culture and what is going on in the world around us, and over time it impacts our perspective and distorts how we see things.  We are all susceptible to allowing our minds to think and believe things that are not true and not aligned with God’s word and plan for us.  God is very clear when He tells us “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will”.  Romans 12:2  So the antidote to stinking thinking is to reject the ways “patterns” of this world and adhere to God’s ways, which are clearly outlined in God’s Word.  God’s promise is that if we turn from the patterns of the world and follow His ways then our minds will be transformed and renewed and our thinking will become aligned with Christ.  Everything starts in our head with our thoughts allow our minds to be renewed in Christ.  When we allow God to renew our minds by pursuing His ways, He give us life, peace and hope as we gain spiritual clarity and live with more purpose and God breathed vision.  This allows us to better align with the will of God.  There is no better place to begin than renewing our minds in Christ.Refresh your Strength:  Similar to entropy, there is another force at work in this world in that all things are aging and decaying including our bodies. “Do not lose heart, though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day”. 2 Corinthians 4:16  The forces of life take a toll on us physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually and if we are not careful we can grow tired and weary as life goes on, especially when we are enduring times of hardship and strain.  Life has a way of simply wearing us out.  When we get tired and weak we become vulnerable.  “Do you not know?  Have you not heard?  The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.  He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on the wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, and they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40: 28-31 God makes it very clear in this verse that He desires to renew our strength so we can soar and never run out of energy.  But God is the only source of this strength and we must pursue Him daily to tap into this amazing strength that only comes from the Lord, “The Joy of the Lord is our strength” Nehemiah 8:10Refresh your Soul: Our soul is the wellspring of life and emotions and I would say it is synonymous with our heart, which is the core of our being.  This is where we find the deepest joy and most painful sorrows.  This is where we dream dreams and find excitement about life and our deep longing for connection and purpose on earth.  We are all born with a deep sense of longing for something more, the hole of the soul, a desire to connect with something that is larger than life and eternal.  God’s Word reveals that He is the only thing that can fill this desire and make us complete through Christ.  In Psalm 23, King David articulates this beautifully “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.  He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul.”  God makes it clear that He is the source that refreshes our soul and gives us all that we need to be secure in Christ if we simply allow Him to be our good Shepherd.  The key to having a full heart is to give it fully to God and allow Him to be our Shepherd.  It is at this place that we find amazing grace and are able to drink of the living water that never runs dry.  This is where our cup runs over and we are living the abundant life that is made available through the Cross. This is a place where we are so full of the living water of God’s spirit that we cannot contain it within ourselves and we are compelled to share it with others and in doing so we are filled with even more.  The reproducing life of Christ.  This is the life that is truly life and I pray that we will all live in this place.I pray that as we move into this fall season that we are refreshed in mind, body and soul so that we are filled to overflowing, allowing us to spill over and bless all those around us in the name of Jesus.Have a great week.-Duane

Word of the Week - Be Prepared

“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  And so we will be with the Lord forever.  Therefore encourage one another with these words” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

Biblical Perspective on End Times  – No one knows the day or hour of the events highlighted in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 noted above, but scripture does give us the signs of the times “Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: And great earthquakes shall be in diverse places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven” Luke 21:10-11.  Just like in the days of Noah people were going about their day to day lives as normal when the end came.  There is much confusion about end times prophesy both inside and outside the church and thus I wanted to share a few scriptures and thoughts around this very important topic especially given the signs of our times.Max Lucado, a well-respected Christian author and pastor https://maxlucado.com/about, recently recorded a short video on this topic.  I highly suggest you take 10 minutes to watch this video for insight and context https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fhx9wNblwLo . The following are a few key insights about end times from the video:Believers Escape:  As noted in last week’s “Word of the Week” the good news is that as followers of Christ we are “caught up together” (raptured).  God has not destined us His sons and daughters in Christ to suffer His wrath and thus His plan is to rescue us by removing us from earth in an instant prior to the great tribulation.  “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.  He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him”.  1 Thessalonians 5:9-10.Unbelievers will suffer terribly:  The really concerning reality about the end times is that all of those who are not followers of Christ (non-Christians) will be left to endure a time of tribulation that is characterized in the bible by unprecedented pain and suffering.  The book of revelation outlines a period of 7 years after the believers are raptured where God removes His church and the covering of the Holy Spirit from the earth and allows the satan to have his way on earth.  This is a nightmarish scenario for all the lost who are left behind to bare the wrath and consequences of the sin of mankind.  “Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains.  They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!  For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?” Revelation 6:15-17Let’s be prepared and share the Good News with the lost:  There are millions and millions of people who are lost spiritually and don’t know Jesus and thus according to scripture they are at risk.  These include those closest to us such as friends, family and neighbors along with those who we many not know so well.  Jesus came to earth for the purpose of saving all 1 Timothy 2:4 and one of the last things he did before He left earth and ascended to heaven was instruct His disciples (us) to spread the gospel to all the ends of the earth Matthew 28:19-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  As followers of Christ one of our primary missions and objectives should be to share the good news of the gospel of Jesus with others so they can be saved.  To share the love of God and also the impending wrath of God for those who are not in Christ.  Also the risk for the lost who are alive on earth during the end times to have to suffer through the free reign of satan during the time of tribulation.  This should motivate us to remain in Christ John 15:5, and stay intent on sharing our faith with others who are lost.Listen, I tell you a mystery;  We will not all sleep, but we will be changed in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.  For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.  For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable (Christ), and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true;  “Death has been swallowed up in victory”. Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?”  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God!  He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm.  Let nothing move you.  Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”  1 Corinthians 15: 51-58If you are a follower of Christ think about someone you can share your faith with this week and encourage them God’s word to step into faithStay encouraged and ready in Christ,-Duane

Word of the Week - Be Encouraged

“At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:27-28

Biblical Worldview Truth is Encouraging – In follow up to last week’s “Word of the Week” that outlined why it is most important as believers to stand firm in God’s Word during these challenging and sometimes confusing times we are experiencing.  God’s Word is a solid bedrock that we can stand upon because it does not change based on what is going on in the world around us, it is timeless truth that will always give us a true north so we can continue to navigate life even during the storms.  I was reminded last week by my Pastor Chris Hodges that the Good News is even better news during times like these when there is so much angst in our world as it relates to disease, political division, and social and racial unrest.  The bottom line is that as followers of Christ we are promised ultimate victory in Christ and thus we should not view things through the same lens as the rest of the world.  This does not mean that we should have a nonchalant attitude toward what is going on in our world, but we should have a good and healthy perspective based on the truth in God’s Word.  The following are three biblical truths that should encourage us as believers during these times and equip us to be lights of encouragement and hope to those around us who might not know or share this perspective.Here are 3 Biblical Truths that bring Encouragement: Heaven is Real, Earth is Temporary and as followers of Christ our ultimate destination is Heaven:  We tend to invest so much of our time and energy in things of this world that we often forget that we are Sojourners simply passing through this life for 80-90 years if we are fortunate.  This life as we know it is but a vapor in the context of eternity, and thus we should continue to step back and frame life from biblical perspective in the context of eternity.  This changes the way we see and experience life in a positive way.  It will impact how we feel, live and operate day to day and allow us to step into the abundant life of Christ vs. our tendency to be focused on how to manage through our next day, week and month navigating all the challenges and brokenness we face in life on this earth.  “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  And so we will be with the Lord forever.  Therefore encourage one another with these words” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18  The Good News for believers is that what we are facing on earth during these days is as bad as it gets, because our destination is spending eternity in heaven with the Lord Jesus.  By the way, Heaven is not flying around on clouds playing a harp and singing hallelujah, it is truly paradise where there is no more pain and suffering.  God is literally preparing a house in heaven for all of those who call Him Lord and savior.  As a duck hunter, I am hoping there are lots of ducks in heaven and no daily bag limits😊.As believers we do not suffer the wrath of God:  During times of peril and strife it is easy for us to get anxious about the implications for us and our families, but we should not fear because God’s promise is that as His children in Christ we do not suffer His wrath.  “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 5:9 The wrath of God is reserved for those who have decided to go their own way and not receive the free gift of salvation offered through the Cross.  “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be know about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.  For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” Romans 1:18-20.  This is why we need to have a heart for the lost and continue to pray and pursue the lost so that all would come to know God through His son Jesus and experience salvation.Revival is coming:  Throughout history God moves most during times of trial, uncertainty and persecution.  Due to pain and brokenness, people tend to be more open to seeking God to find understanding, peace and security.  50 years ago there was a similar situation that we are facing today in our country.  The Vietnam war along with political, social and racial unrest during the mid to late 1960s created havoc in our nation.  During the spring of 1966 the cover of Time Magazine quoted “Is God Dead”, as our society had seemed to reach a low point based on what was transpiring. This wave of strife led to an amazing revival throughout America in the early 70’s, the Jesus Revolution.  Just a short 5 years later on June 21, 1971 the cover of Time Magazine quoted “Jesus Revolution” an awakening of faith in America.  This was an amazing time in our history where God moved and millions of people came to faith.  I can actually tie my journey of faith to my uncle Jimmy Lejeune who got radically saved during this period.  He and his family had a tremendous influence on my coming to faith.  In addition to revival, we saw enormous social change as Dr. Martin Luther King led our country through the equal rights movement in this same time period, which laid the foundation for much progress and healing in our country in regards to racial issues but there remains more work to accomplish.  So we should be encouraged as we anticipate how God will use the challenges we are facing to begin a spiritual revival in our country. “All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you”.  Psalm 22:27Remember, revival begins with us in our own personal walk with Christ.  We cannot give away what we do not possess.Pressing forward in faith,-Duane 

Word of the Week - Biblical Worldview

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ.” Ephesians 4:15

I received a letter from a few friends on Friday that addresses much of what we are experiencing as a nation during these times and it resonated with me in many ways.  What resonated mostly with me was the idea that as a man of faith I know the power of a Biblical Worldview and should be compelled to share it with others as a beacon of light and hope.  The letter, see linked here, prompted my “Word of the Week” this week.  I hope you find light and hope in what I have written and will share it with others.Biblical Worldview is Truth – So the real question from the beginning of time is “What is truth and how do we find it”.  I believe that “truth” is simply God’s truth, which is laid out in His Word, the Bible.  Since He is Creator of all things and set the world into motion at the beginning of time, we must trust that He knows what is true and good.  It is very clear throughout history that people are easily led astray when they follow their own ways.  Since we live in a fallen world and have a depraved nature, “There is a way that seems right to man but leads to death” Proverbs 14:12.  Given the times that we are experiencing as a nation, it is apparent that now more than ever we need to seek and find truth in order to have a true north to guide us through.  I believe that God the Father, the Son (Jesus our Savior) and the Holy Spirit is who we need to look to for truth, clarity and direction through God’s Word.  If we are united and standing in the truth we will find healing, unity and blessing.Here are 3 Biblical Truths that give us clarity: Gratitude:  God’s word exhorts us to “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for us in Christ Jesus” 1 Thessalonians 5:18  Having an attitude of gratitude in all circumstances truly changes our perspective on life.  Understanding that life is a gift from God makes us really appreciate our blessings and is an antidote for our tendency to develop an attitude of entitlement as if the world or government owes us something.  One of the biggest issues we are facing in our county is a lack of appreciation and gratitude for the blessings we have as a nation.  It is amazing to me to see the attitude of many toward our country given the amazing opportunity and prosperity we have as a nation, especially compared to any other countries in the world.  The truth is that there are endless opportunities for anyone with character who wants to work and is willing to put in the time and energy to be successful.  It is not the responsibility of the government to provide for us and take care of us.  It is the role of the government to create a safe and stable environment for us to apply our talents and creativity to make a difference, create value and reap the return on our investment.  By the way the combination of our Country being founded on Judeo Christian biblical principles along with a free market capitalistic economic system has paved the way to create the most free and prosperous democracy in world history.  Something to ponder.Obedience:  Blessings come through trust and obedience to God and following His ways.  “Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me.  And because they love me, my Father will love them.  And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.” John 14:21 Just like good parents know what is best for their kids, even more so does God know what is best for us, His sons and daughters in Christ.  To get the best God has for each of us and to rise above the confusion of the day to day challenges and distractions of this world, we must walk in obedience to God and His commandments, which He created for our safety and protection so we can remain healthy and flourish in Him.  The essence of recent movements, BLM and Cancel Culture, are advocating we redefine things like marriage, the core family unit, and gender clarity.  These ideas are in defiance to how God has clearly defined them in His word and thus innately destructive and counter to what is good and healthy.  It is not hard to understand the demise of this thinking and the long term implications, many of which we are already experiencing in our country with so much identity confusion and brokenness in families creating a repeating cycle of poverty, brokenness, addictions, bondage, incarcerations etc.  Faith, trust and obedience  in God bring life and freedom.  “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, lean not on your own understanding.  Acknowledge Him in all things and He will direct your paths and keep them straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6Dependence:  Though I agree there is much room for improvement, our government and political leaders cannot solve all of our problems are be our cure-all, but God can and desires to be our everything.  He has declared Himself the great “I am”, everything we need, He is. Since the beginning of time, God’s desire and intention was companionship with mankind through a personal relationship with me and you.  To be our Abba Father. God loved us so much that He gave His son Jesus as a sacrifice so we can be in relationship with Him through the cross John 3:16.  He makes it very clear that “He is the vine and we are the branches, if we abide (pursue and connect) in Him then He will abide (pursue and connect) with us and we will bear much fruit (Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness & Self-Control), but apart from Him we can do nothing.” John 15:5 The chapter goes on to say “If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” John 15:6  There are blessings that come from being dependent and staying connected to the vine of Christ and there are consequences if we are not connected.  This is a simple and profound truth that I continue to experience in my life.God’s promise to us is that even in the midst of the challenges of life (Covid-19, political uncertainty, economic uncertainty, riots and chaos etc) we can rise above it all and experience the abundant life of Christ if we follow His Word and walk in Gratitude, Obedience and Dependence with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit standing on the Word of God.  This is a biblical worldview and it is powerful if we walk in it.I truly believe that if we walk out these truths in our lives we will change the world and experience the Joy of the Lord, which is our strength especially during these challenging times.Pressing forward in faith,-Duane

Word of the Week - Put God First

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33

Timeless Life Truths – If you are like me, recent developments in our world/country (Covid-19, George Floyd tragedy, social unrest, political disunity etc.) are quite unsettling and bring legitimate concerns for the future of our nation.  As I have prayed and pursued conversation to seek understanding, I recognize that many of these issues are quite complex and not easily resolved.  That being said, I am reminded that God is sovereign and still in control, His word is timeless and true, and what we are facing today is not a “new thing” from God’s perspective.  This reality should encourage us towards “seeking God first” to gain wisdom and understanding of our role in being part of the solution.  We cannot fix all of these generational complex issues but we can each take a part in bringing God’s kingdom to earth by using our resources, talents and influences to make a difference and create a better world for all.  I don’t have all of the answers but I am certain that the following God principals are a good starting point for each of us as outlined in this very powerful 11 minute commencement talk given by actor Denzel Washington to a group of college grads and their families.  Check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--1dFvyjt-AHere are 3 Timeless Biblical Truths from Denzel’s talk: Put God First in Everything you do:  God makes it very clear that He desires to be the “First” priority in our lives.  In fact the 1^st commandment from God is that “You shall have no other god’s before me” Exodus 20:3.  He goes on to send His only begotten son Jesus our savior to be the “First Fruit” offering to all mankind for our redemption, He went First.  If I have learned anything in my walk of faith over the last 19 years it is that there is a tremendous blessing in walking out this God principal by faith.  Making the Lord our First priority each day and in all things is key to receiving the benefits of our faith.  He promises us that if we simply make Him the First in all things then He will bless us and protect us as we navigate through the challenges of life.  I have personally experienced this in my walk with Christ and have made it one of my life pursuits to walk in this truth and encourage others to do the same.  By the way firstfruits is putting God First in everything to include our thoughts, day, marriage, relationships, money etc.  Try it and see the blessing.  “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine” Proverbs 3:9-10Dream Big and have goals: Our country was founded on Christian based principals that all things are possible for those who are willing to take risk and work hard with persistence to achieve their goals.  I believe this is more true today than it ever has been for our citizens.  The key to this as Denzel laid out in his talk is that we must apply simple core principals like hard work, discipline, consistency, perseverance, wisdom, counsel and understand that we may fail a few times before we find success.  That is actually part of life and another biblical truth to develop us and our character.  “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” James 1:2-4  The key is that we walk by faith, believe in ourselves and our dreams and understand that these things take time and sacrifice and don’t just happen because we dream them up.  There is generally a price to be paid to build something of value and delayed gratification is a good thing and the reality of life.  “We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised” Hebrews 6:12 .Make a difference:  If you walk by faith “Put God first in everything” and “Dream big with goals” you will have success over time and be blessed.  God blesses us so we can be a blessing to others and use what He has given us to make a difference in this world for His kingdom, which is the opportunity and true joy of life.  First and foremost we must understand where our blessing come from and have a heart of gratitude and thanksgiving toward the Lord.  “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise;  give thanks to Him and praise His name”. Psalm 100:4  The heart of God is to reach the lost and help lift others up towards Christ, so let us make this our priority and use everything the Lord has given us to include our time, talent, treasure and influence to share the good news and sow the seed of the Gospel.  “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.  Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.  In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” 1 Timothy 6:17-19I truly believe that if we walk out these truths in our lives we will change the world and experience the Joy of the Lord, which is our strength especially during these challenging times.Pressing forward in faith,-Duane

Word the Week - Life Lessons (Continued - Part 4 final)

“We will not hide them from our descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has done”  Psalm 78:4

Life Lessons with Scriptural Context Continued – The following are the final 10 life lessons that Regina shared along with bible verses that I found that reinforce the principals/life lessons that Regina discovered over her 90 years on earth.  I think there is much truth and wisdom to be gleaned from Regina.  Just FYI, the “Word of the Week” email from last 3 weeks with context is enclosed below with the first 30 life lessons and relevant scriptures.

31. However good or bad the situation, it will change.  Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:  A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot…”.  We must embrace change and see it as a reality of life.  If we understand seasons and life cycles then they become our ally.
32. Don’t take yourself too seriously, no one else does.  Matthew 18:2 “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the Kingdom of heaven”. We must have a childlike spirit toward God and this is not possible if we take ourselves too seriously, not to mention, life is difficult enough without taking ourselves too seriously.
33. Believe in miracles.  Matthew 19:26 “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” God is the same today as He was in the beginning.  Since He is the creator of heaven and earth there is nothing that impossible with God.  Hope is a blessing and having faith in God to perform miracles is a wonderful gift.  Believe and receive!!! 
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.  Romans 5:8 “But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” We are God’s children saved by grace not from our works and what we do.  We simply have to believe and receive the gift of salvation and walk by faith.  This is the good news of Christ Jesus!!!!!
35.  Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.  1 Timothy 6: 6-11 “But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it”.  Living life in the present with contentment is the life that is truly life.
36. Growing old beasts the alternative of dying young. 2 Corinthians 4:16 “Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day” If we understand and accept that the purpose of life is to be prepared for eternity with Christ, we can see each day as a gift toward being sanctified (prepared) for our ultimate journey home.  “So to live is Christ and to die is gain”. Philippians 1:21
37. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.  1 Corinthians 13:13 “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love”.  God is love and thus the most important thing for us to receive and give is love.  “Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trust, always hopes and always perseveres” 1 Corinthians 14:4-7
38. Envy is a waste of time.  Accept what you already have not what you need.  Proverbs 14:30 “A heart of peace and contentment gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones”. Accepting our lot in life and finding contentment is truly a blessing that bring peace and joy.  It is our choice to focus on our blessings looking toward Christ or focus on what we don’t have and those around us, which bring strife and discontentment.
39. Life is not tied with a bow but it is still a gift.  Psalms 139: 13-14  “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”. God created every human being unique and in His image; therefore, every life is precious and valuable in the eyes of God.  This is why we should value our lives and the lives of all, and make the most of the gift of life that we have been given.
40. The best is yet to come!!!!!  Ephesians 3:20 “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than you can ever ask ore imagine by His power at work in you”.  As long as we are living and breathing there is an opportunity for God to do even more of His great work within us and through us.  Se be encouraged, God has a great plan for you and the best is yet to come, even when you are 90 years old like Regina when she wrote this.

Have a blessed week,-Duane

Word the Week - Life Lessons (Continued - Part 3)

“We will not hide them from our descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has done”  Psalm 78:4

Life Lessons with Scriptural Context Continued – The following are the third ten life lessons that Regina shared along with bible verses that I found that reinforce the principals/life lessons that Regina discovered over her 90 years on earth.  I think there is much truth and wisdom to be gleaned from Regina.  Just FYI, the “Word of the Week” email from last 2 weeks with context is enclosed below with the first 20 life lessons and relevant scriptures.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie.  Don’t save it for a special occasion.  Today is special.  Psalm 118:24 “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it”. and, I say “Let us make the most of it (this day)”.
22. Over prepare then go with the flow.  Proverbs 16:9 “A man plans his ways but the Lord directs his steps”. and I suggest that life is much better when we prepare but leave room for God to lead us and direct us by his Holy Spirit.
23. Be eccentric now, don’t wait for old age to wear purple.  Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works that He prepared in advance.” And I suggest that He created us all unique and we are called to walk in our uniqueness even if it is perceived to be different and eccentric, not to mention Purple is a great color especially when combined with yellow/gold.  Geaux Tigers!!!!!!
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.  Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” If we take our thoughts captive and think upon things that are good and pure, we will live pure lives that are pleasing to God.
25.  No one is in charge of your happiness except you.  1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” An attitude of gratitude is our choice each day and the Lord makes it clear that His will is for us to choose life by being grateful, by the way this is a joyous way to live, which gives us the ability to “rejoice”.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ‘In five years, will this matter?’ Philippians 3:13-14 “But one thing I do; Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” We must learn from our past experiences both good and bad, but our focus should not be on the past, which we cannot change but we should be focused on the future.  If we learn from the lessons of life time is our friend not our enemy.  This is called wisdom.
27. Always choose life.  Psalms 139:13-14 “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well”.  Life is truly a gift from God and thus we should always choose life and understand the sanctity and value of life, all life, especially the unborn and vulnerable.
28. Forgive.  Colossians 3:13 “Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive”. God forgives us so we must forgive others, which is a gift that sets us free.  Unforgiveness is a poison to our soul and forgiveness is the anecdote that brings healing and life.
29. What other people think about you is none of your business.  Proverbs 29:25  “It is dangerous to be concerned about what others think of you, but if you trust in the Lord, you are safe”. A healthy fear of God is what keeps us from fear of man.  With divine order comes divine blessing and thus if we put the Lord at the head of our lives then we will have favor with God and man, and find protection from the enemy of our soul allowing us to live authentic and integrous lives.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.  Psalm 147:3 “He (Jesus) heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds”.  I am happy Regina acknowledged that “Time heals almost everything”.  On more trivial issues of life, I agree that the passing of time heals as we forgive and forget.  Based on my experience with life, I agree that time is our friend in the area of the deep wounds of life because time puts space between acute pain and emotion, and allows us space for being ministered to.  That being said, time cannot heal the deep wounds of our soul like losing a loved one or being betrayed by a close friend.  Only Jesus can heal these wounds if we allow Him to do the work in our soul/spirit.  Thank you Jesus our Healer!!!

Have a blessed week,-Duane

Word of the week - Freedom

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17 

Given the division we are experiencing as a nation, I felt compelled to share this Word of the Week message even though I sent out a “Life Lessons” word of the week earlier today.  No matter our race, religion, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation or political orientation, we should all stand united as Americans on the basic truths and principals that our forefathers founded our country upon.  Let’s stand together in unity for something opposed to looking for something to stand against!!!The price and value of Freedom:  Given the current challenges we are facing as a nation, I think it is most important to reflect on the true blessings and responsibilities of Freedom.  In a practical sense, we are truly blessed to live in a country that values Freedom and Independence for its citizens.  The United States of America was founded by men of faith on the premise that we must value and protect individual rights and hold these things sacred as outlined in the preamble to the Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”.  It is easy to take this for granted because we are so accustomed to this reality that we really cannot relate with not having these Freedoms and individual rights.  Besides bar-b-que, fireworks and time on the water with family and friends, the purpose of the July 4^th Holiday is to set aside a day to recognize the high price that has been paid over the past 200 plus years to gain and defend this amazing gift of Freedom and to never take it lightly or for granted.  To remember the cost of Freedom and the blood and sacrifice that was poured out to attain our Freedom as a nation.Responsibility of Freedom:  As American citizens and believers (citizens of the Kingdom of God), I think it is most important that we take on the mantle and responsibility that comes with the gift of Freedom.  Ronald Reagan said “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”  It is our responsibility as Americans to value, protect and steward our Freedom.  Similarly, but more importantly, Christ Jesus was crucified, died and rose again so that we could overcome death and have the ultimate Freedom that comes with salvation through Christ.  His blood gives us the power to find true Freedom from the wrath of God and the sin and strife of this world.  “It is for Freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1.  It is interesting that the Freedom of Christ is received not through a spirit of independence but by a spirit of dependence whereby we live our lives depending on God through an abiding relationship that He describes in John 15:5.  By living connected to the vine of Christ He blesses us with Freedom so that we can do His good work and produce godly fruit in our lives for His glory and purpose.  “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”  Galatians 5:13Lord we thank you for our many Freedoms to include 1) Freedom of religion and individual belief, 2) Freedom to worship, 3) Freedom of prayer and 4) Freedom of speech to name just a few.  We are grateful that we live in a nation that that values Freedom and want to remember and honor all of those who have sacrificed and died to make this a reality for us by exercising our Freedoms in a healthy, respectful and honoring manner.  Lord, most of all, we thank you for the fact that while we were still sinners you died for us so that we can be Free from the wages of sin and live with you in Eternal Freedom.God Bless you and God Bless America, the land of the Free,-Duane

Word the Week - Life Lessons (Continued - Part 2)

“We will not hide them from our descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has done”  Psalm 78:4

Life Lessons with Scriptural Context Continued – The following are the second ten life lessons that Regina shared along with bible verses that I found that reinforce the principals/life lessons that Regina discovered over her 90 years on earth.  I think there is much truth and wisdom to be gleaned from Regina.  Just FYI, the “Word of the Week” email from last week with context is enclosed below.

11. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present. Isaiah 43:18-19 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up;  do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland”.
12. It is ok to let your children see you cry .  John 11:35 “Jesus Wept”.
13. Don’t compare your life to others.  You have no idea what their journey is all about.  Galatians 6:4-5 “Each one should test their own actions.  Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should take responsibility for themselves.”
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.  1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus God’s son cleanses us from all sin.” 
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye, but don’t worry, God never blinks.  Matthew 6:33-34 “But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
16. Take a deep breath.  It calms the mind. Psalm 15:6 “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.  Praise the Lord!”
17. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful.  Clutter weighs you down in many ways.  Ecclesiastes 4:6 “Better is one handful with tranquility than two hand full of toil and chasing after the wind”
18. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.  Romans 5:3-5  “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not put us to because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”
19. It’s never too late to be happy.  But it’s all up to you and no one else.  1 Thessalonians 5:18  “Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you”
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.  James 1:12 “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him”.

Have a blessed week,-Duane

Word the Week - Life Lessons

“We will not hide them from our descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has done”  Psalm 78:4

The fruit of a life well lived in Christ - My good friend David Pursell’s father Jimmy Pursell passed away on Sunday, Father’s Day, at the age of 89 only two weeks away from celebrating his 90^th birthday, see linked obituary.  Mr. Jimmy Pursell was an amazing man of God who leaves a legendary legacy.  I am so encouraged to witness how God can use one man to impact so many people.  Mr. Jimmy came to Christ in his mid-forties, halfway through his journey of life, but God did “Immeasurably more” Ephesians 3:20 than most of us could ever ask or imagine by God’s power at work in him and through him.  My life and family were majorly impacted by Jimmy and the Pursell family as I was introduced to JH Ranch/Outback America www.jhranch.com , by attending an Outback America event with my eldest daughter Mary Kathryn in 2003.  My life and our family’s trajectory was changed forever by that weekend experience.  If it were not for Jimmy Pursell’s encounter with the living God and submission to the Lord as a generous ambassador for Christ, I would not have had that experience and who knows where our family would be today.  This is just one small nugget of the thousands and possibly millions of seeds planted by the Lord through the life of Jimmy Pursell.  Our thought and prayers are with the Pursell Family and we rejoice in the godly legacy of Jimmy Pursell….Glory be to God!!!!!!!!The wisdom of life from experience and God’s word – I received this from my dad a few weeks ago and it really resonated with me.  After attending Jimmy’s life celebration reception on Friday at Pursell Farms I was prompted to share some wisdom from someone who has lived 90 years.  Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, writer for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio. "To celebrate growing older, she once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.”  It was the her most requested column ever written.  I think we have much to learn from those who have gone before us, especially those how have lived 70 plus years on this earth and have the wisdom of many years of life experience.  Even more powerful is a life lived in communion with the Lord Jesus and submitted to the Holy Spirit from a biblical godly perspective.  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, “declares the Lord.  “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways”. Isaiah 55:8-9Life Lessons with Scriptural Context – The following are the first ten life lessons that Regina shared along with bible verses that I found that reinforce the principals/life lessons that Regina discovered over her 90 years on earth.  I think there is much truth and wisdom to be gleaned from Regina.

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good. Habakkuk 3:17-18 “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my savior”.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step. Matthew 6:34  “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
3. Life is too short – enjoy it. James 4:14 ^“Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes”.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family will. Acts 10:2  “He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.” 
5. Pay off your credit cards every month. Romans 13:8  “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.”
6. You don't have to win every argument. Stay true to yourself.  Philippians 2:3 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves”
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.  Romans 12:15 “ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.  Psalm 10:1 “Why, Lord, do you stand far off?  Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?”
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.  1 Corinthians 16:2 “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.”
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.  Ecclesiastes 2:24 “So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God.”

I hope you enjoyed these life lessons with scripture.  I will plan to share the next ten “life lessons” from Regina next week.Have a great week in preparation for the celebration of our Nations birthday.Blessings,-Duane

Word the Week - Father

“Our Father in Heaven”  Mathew 6:9

The power of the Father relationship?  Research confirms that the Father relationship has the power to shape our view of God and ourselves at the deepest level.  A Father has many critical roles in life to include provider, protector, teacher, modeler, encourager, exemplar and much, much more. These are all very important roles to meet the very real needs of a child, growing adolescent and young adult.  As important as all these characteristics are in our development, what matters most is that we experience and know the unconditional love of the Father.  Love is the key, because “love overcomes a multitude of sins” 1 Peter 4:8.Unconditional Love of our Abba Father:  I am blessed with a wonderful dad who demonstrated the characteristics noted above throughout my childhood and life and continues do so today at ripe young age of 80, but like all of us he was not perfect.  That being said, I never ever doubted his deep and unconditional love for me. This reality along with Jesus’ healing hand has been the catalyst for healing in our relationship and most importantly receiving and knowing the love of God the Father.  Now as a Father of 3 wonderful daughters, 2 sons by marriage to my daughters and 4 awesome Grandkids (it is true that Grandkids are an amazing blessing from God, this is the best ever😊), I have the amazing responsibility and privilege to be a Father to my children and grandchildren and I can say it is the most meaningful, joyful and fulfilling role of my life to date.  Just like my dad, I am doing my very best but I surely have made many mistakes along the way and unintentionally hurt my children.  That being said, I am so grateful to God our Father in Heaven who gives us the perfect example of how to be a loving Father, our Abba Father.  “The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast (unconditional) love” Psalm 103:8.  With this love and example from God our Father through His son Jesus along with great examples from our parents and others, we are equipped to be godly Fathers who sow blessings and life into our kids for many generations to come as stated in Psalm 127:3 “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from Him.”Heavenly Father:  Finally, no matter what your situation and relationship or lack thereof with your earthly Father, God is our eternal Father and He loves us and deeply desires to redeem and restore us to wholeness through the power of His unconditional and everlasting love.  This is available for all His children (us) not matter your circumstance or experience with your earthly Father, through the Lord Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit.  Our Abba Father God is a Good, Good, Father…..He will gladly leave the 99 to find the one lost sheep, that is how much He loves us….“And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers” Malachi 4:6.Happy Father’s Day…..-Duane

Word of the Week - "Life that is truly Life"

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.  Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.  In this way they will lay up treasures for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” 1 Timothy 6:17-19

How are you living? – I love this short 10 minute graduation speech by Rick Rigsby https://youtu.be/Bg_Q7KYWG1g , a black man that I believe has a sound and godly perspective on what truly matters and how we overcome many of the challenges we are facing as a country during this time.  I would highly encourage you to watch this short video for a dose of healthy perspective.  I love the fact that he points out principals of what we can do to produce life giving results from a life well lived day by day.  Let’s focus on what we can do to make a positive contribution to our community by living and advocating for good healthy life principals of unity vs. focusing on what we are against and planting seeds of disunity.  “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (satan - the enemy of our soul).” Ephesians 6:12The following are a few simple but profound truths that Rick highlights in his talk titled “How are you living”:Seek Knowledge and Wisdom:  “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction” Proverbs 1:7  Rick talks about the knowledge and wisdom imparted to him by his dad who was a cook and had a third grade education.  The truth is that God is the giver of knowledge and wisdom if we have a heart to seek truth and pray for wisdom.  We must be seekers of the truth so we can be informed to gain knowledge that gives us a basis for action to affect change.  If we simply operate from emotion without knowledge then we become foolish and this can cause chaos and destruction which we are witnessing around our country today.  There is a way to impact healthy change and reform but it requires godly knowledge and wisdom not simple emotional rebellion against authority.Take Responsibility:  “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us .  For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example.  We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it.  On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you.  We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate.  For even when we were with you, we gave this rule;  “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” 2 Thessalonians 3:6-10  Rick points out the example his father made in his life by deciding to be a man and taking on the responsibility of life to be a provider, protector and parent to his family.  This was not a question about his circumstance it was a decision to make the most of his life by taking on responsibility for his life and family.  We need to be careful that our motivation is not about entitlement, which as history demonstrates leads to the downfall of a healthy society.  God put every person on earth with a purpose to contribute humanity by using their talents and gifts to add and create value.Be a Servant : “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” Mark 10:45 Rick talks about having a servants heart and the story about Coach Wooden sweeping the floor each day and that we should all “find our broom”.  The key is that we have an understanding that we have been put on this earth for something bigger than ourselves and as demonstrated by the life of Jesus, we are here to use our lives to serve others.  If we have a united heart to Love and serve God by loving and serving His people, we will thrive as a community and nation but if we take on a victim mentality and demand that others serve us to our liking, then we will never be satisfied because no one will ever be able to live up to our expectations because the motivation is not in order.  We cannot dictate or mandate service, we must encourage and incent it with the right values, examples and incentives.Rick had many other great life giving principals he shared in lessons from his father that all have a biblical premise to include:

• Don’t judge others
• Be the best you that you can be
• If you believe you can then you can
• If you are going to do something then do it right with excellence
• Be tough minded but always kind hearted
• Pride is the demise of the foolish
• Failure is part of the process of life – fail forward and learn from your mistakes

In closing Rick talked about the low that he and his boys experienced when his wife passed away from cancer.  He said that his faith in God and his father’s wisdom are what got him through this very dark and trying time of his life.  His dad told him that no matter what happened and how painful the circumstance that he needed to “stand” in faith and continue standing.  I love this and it points to God’s word in Ephesians 6:12 “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand”. In the midst of this trying time, I hope Rick’s message and this word inspires you with biblical life principals that are true and have stood the test of time.  Each of us has the opportunity to make a difference by the way we live and how we treat all of our brothers and sisters regardless of their skin color, race or ethnicity.Blessings,-Duane

Word of the Week - Atmosphere of Unity

“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.” 1 Peter 3:8

Atmosphere creates the environment for Unity – Given the tragic and unjust death of George Floyd and the ensuing riots and protest, we are in desperate need of Unity in our country and world at large.  The current environment is toxic and filled with anger, contempt and disunity.  I was encouraged and reminded today by Pastor Larry Stockstill https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/message/the-royal-life that our Lord is the author of Unity and He uses us His people to usher in the spirit of Unity.  It starts with humbling ourselves and taking the first step to build an atmosphere that fosters Unity by:Honoring Others:  The Lord makes it clear in His word that we are to honor all and look past their issues and see them as a children of God.  “You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor”  James 3:18  This is “hard word” but it is what foster an atmosphere for healing and Unity.Unity of Mind:  We must be open to “seek to understand” and listen to others in regards to their thoughts and ideas so we can work to understand and have Unity of mind where others thoughts plus my thoughts equals our thoughts and a place of Unity.  We should always be seeking feedback and others perspectives to find the best path forward.  “I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you work to agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in mind and thought.” 1 Corinthians 1:10Sympathizing with others: Until we walk in others shoes we really don’t know what it feels like to be them; therefore, we should work to empathize and feel the pain of others so we can truly relate with what they are feeling.  This give us a heart towards others.   “Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.” 5 Galatians 6:2Fostering Brotherly Love :  If you believe in God as our creator then you understand that all humans come from the same origins and thus no matter your skin color or ethnicity, we are all brothers and sisters and should embrace our diversity as a gift to be celebrated.  “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” Galatians 3:28Maintaining a Tender Heart:  It is most important that we keep our hearts tender and do not allow our hearts to be hardened.  No matter how much pain or disappointment we experience, we must remain open to “Loving God and Loving others”.  The only way I know to keep our hearts tender and open is to stay connected to the vine of Christ through abiding in Christ daily John 15:5.   “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32Humbling Ourselves:  It starts with us thinking of ourselves less and thinking more about others.  No matter our nationality, giftings or social economic status we should never think of ourselves as superior to others.  We are all created equal in God’s eyes as human beings.  We are all children of God and each and every person has an eternal soul.  “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” Romans 12:3Forgiving Others and staying faithful in Worship:  The Lord’s spirit of forgiveness/reconciliation is powerful and healing begins with us freely offering forgiveness as we have been forgiven.  Worshiping the Lord ushers in the Holy Spirit, which gives us the power to humble ourselves, forgive others and love God and all His people.  “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has grievance against someone.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:13Benefits of Unity:  “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard,running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon  were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore. Psalm 133Healing in our nation will come through humility.  “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” 2 Chronicles 7:13-14Lord, I pray for Unity and Healing in our World in the name of Jesus. -Duane

Word of the Week - Holy Spirit

“And I will ask the Father and He will give another advocate to help you and be with you forever – the Spirit of truth.” John 14:16

Pentecost – Celebrating and embracing the Holy Spirit – On this day of Pentecost, we celebrate the gift that God gave us in the 3^rd person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit.  Most believers and non-believers can understand God the Father and Jesus the Son but many are not sure about the Holy Spirit.  Of course God in His fullness is Spirit and mysterious in many ways, so we see and understand our Triune God through a dim view as humans.  That being said, the Lord gave us the Holy Spirit as an amazing gift and we cannot experience the fullness of God unless we are in communion with the Holy Spirit.  “In the same way, the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Holy Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God”. Romans 8: 26-27The following are just a few attributes of the Holy Spirit and the benefits of fellowship with the Holy Spirit:He Comforts us:  If we welcome the Holy Spirit into our lives He will Comfort us in times of need.  God sent the Holy Spirit after Jesus ascended into heaven to be our great Comforter.  Call upon the Holy Spirit and He will comfort you in times of need. “And I will ask the Father and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever.” John 14:16He Teaches us:  If we open our hearts to the Holy Spirit He will Teach us and give us wisdom.  We will see things and know things that are beyond our own intellect or conventional wisdom. “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” John 14:26He Uses us:  By the power of the Holy Spirit at work within us, we are able to testify to what God has done in us and through us and be witnesses for the Gospel.  We should constantly ask God to use us as instruments to represent God in power and love.  “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father – the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father – he will testify about me.” John 15:26He Convicts us:  The Holy Spirit Convicts us when we have sin within our hearts.  He never condemns us but if we allow Him permission the Holy Spirit will point out anything that is not right within in us and lead us to change and be renewed in Christ. “When the Holy Spirit comes, He will convict the world, and show where right and wrong and judgement lie.  He will convict us” John 16:8He Guides us:  In this world there are many voices and no shortage of opinions, many of which are good and sound.  That being said, we must be able to navigate through the noise and it can be challenging at times.  The Holy Spirit is the still small voice of God that will lead us and guide us to the Way, the Truth and the Life in Christ.  “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth.  He will not speak on his own; He will speak only what He hears, and will tell you what is yet to come.” John 16:13Holy Spirit we invite you to come Comfort us, Teach us, Use us, Convict us and Guide us in the way we should go!!!!!!!Happy Pentecost Sunday.  Have a great week of fellowship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!!!!!!!!!-Duane

Word of the Week - Remember

“We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” 1 John 3:16This Memorial Day we Remember all of the men and woman who have paid the ultimate price for our Freedom.  While each fallen soldier has a unique story, each soldier is a hero who willingly laid down his or her life for a greater cause.  I think part of our struggle to understand the fallen soldier comes with our difficulty in accepting sacrifice, especially when a sacrifice seems so final and appears to hold no obvious reward. The idea that someone could give up everything - for people they don’t even know - is hard to process. We spend so much of life trying to gain, to acquire, to win. Our country is home to the American Dream, the land of opportunity. Remembering the fallen is key to ensuring that we maintain our convictions as a country to do whatever is necessary to keep our freedom and be willing to pay the price.“Freedom is never more than one generation from extinction.  We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream.  It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” – Ronald ReaganUltimate Sacrifice:  Let’s Remember the 1.2 million men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice by giving their lives in service to our Country, I am reminded of the sobering reality of the true price of freedom, and how fortunate we are to live in the United States of America, “the land of the free” because of the price others paid for our freedom.  I am very grateful and humbled by this amazing gift.“Those who have enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them.” – Franklin D. RooseveltChrist Crucified for us:  In a similar frame, I am even more grateful for the fact that Jesus freely chose to come down to earth in the flesh to willingly be crucified for our sins, so we can have eternal freedom (salvation) and live with God forever.  “For it is for Freedom that Christ set us free” Galatians 5:1.  “You, my brothers, were called to be free.  But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love” Galatians 5:13.  Let us Remember who God is and what He has done for us through the Cross and let this be our motivation to live the great commandment to “Love God and Love others” by serving God and others in Love.Lord, I pray that we would Remember and understand the reality of what others have done for us as Americans and even more amazingly what you have done for us as Christians and never forget the suffering you endured for our benefit.  Let us receive the fullness of your love and Sacrifice.Jesus the Messiah who Died to give us Life and Freedom both now and for Eternity, the ultimate Sacrifice.-Duane

Word of the Week - Revelation

“I don’t know whether he is a sinner, the man replied.  But I know this; I was blind, and now I can see!” John 9:25

Revelation is simply becoming aware of a surprising or previously unknown fact or truth.  In the spiritual realm it is typically made known through divine or supernatural means such as reading God’s Word (the bible), hearing a sermon or a experiencing a personal encounter.  Revelation is powerful and necessary for us to know God and grow in our relationship with Him.  Even though we are made in the image of God and have His spirit within us, God’s ways are not our ways and thus we cannot really understand the things of God without divine revelation through the Holy Spirit.  Revelation is a catalyst for our faith to become real and have power in our lives.Receiving Revelation:  Revelation is a gift from God and thus a bit mysterious.  I don’t think it is something we can simply will into existence for ourselves.  That being said, we learn from scripture and the story about the blind man who was healed by Jesus, that by faith he obeyed Jesus’ instruction to go wash himself in the pool of Siloam.  The man simply did what Jesus asked him to do and was healed.  I surely can relate to this story and the motivation for something much better.  The key here is to recognize that the blind man had to listen to Jesus and do something by faith to receive the miracle of healing of his sight which led to his salvation.  All to often, I think we either are not listening, or when Jesus speaks to us, we do not obey by stepping out in faith.  We tend to ask questions and desire more clarity, or we simply just don’t do anything, we wait and hope He will do it to us or for us.  Faith in action is where God shows up and the divine happens.By Revelation we get to know the Lord and build an intimate relationship with Him.  So how do we posture ourselves to receive revelation from God so we can live in the fullness of our experience with Him?

• Surrendering our lives and submitting to His authority over our lives as a loving Father.  I am not sure I know how this all works but I had a born again/spiritual eye opening experience 19 years ago at the age of 33 when I surrendered my heart to the Lord by faith.  Therefore this man’s story really resonates with me, because right after I surrendered my heart to God I experienced supernatural revelation.  I had eyes to see a whole new world that I had never known before through the person of Jesus and His word.  I had heard about Jesus my entire life and attended church but I never had experienced divine revelation.  It was truly amazing and by far the most powerful experience of my life to date, which gives me blessed assurance of my relationship with God and my hope of eternal salvation in Christ.  An amazing gift.
• Seeking God through His word – The bible is literally God breathed and given to us for divine purpose and instruction.  It is a spiritual book that is alive and powerful.  As I have sought after God over the years and grown in relationship with Him through His word, I continue to receive revelation, which strengthens my faith and trust in God.  As we develop our spiritual eyes through a pure heart and deep desire to know and love God, He continues to take us deeper and reveal things to us through His word so we can know Him in a more intimate way.  Just like any relationship that grows and deepens over time, to grow deeper in love and relationship we must know the person more and much of this is through the process of seeking the relationship.

We all need our spiritual eyes opened to have more spiritual vision and deeper communion with God.  Only God can give us spiritual sight through His divine revelation, He is in the business of making the blind see.  He did it for me and thus I am certain He can do it for anyone who desires to know Him for who He really is.  We simply have is ask in faith and surrender our hearts to the Lord Jesus, and make Him the first priority and Lord over our lives by faith.  “For it is by grace we have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast”. Ephesians 2:8-9Lord I pray you will give us eyes to see and ears to hear.  Give us your divine revelation.-Duane