Word of the Week - Easter - Christ is Risen!!!

“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.” Romans 8:11

The death and Resurrection of Jesus over 2000 years ago is by far the most significant event in world history.  Jesus death by crucifixion and His resurrection from the grave are historically recorded events that changed the world.  These facts are most meaningful because of their spiritual significance in that through His death on the cross Jesus bore the sin of all mankind (past, present and future) so we can be saved from the wrath of God through forgiveness of our sins and have eternal life.  16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16. This is truly Good News for us to embrace by faith and celebrate on this special Easter day!!! 

By receiving this gift and placing our faith on Christ and what He did for us on the cross, we receive the full benefits of the Resurrection.  First and foremost, we receive access to forgiveness of our sins by the blood of the Jesus, the lamb of God who was slain on our behalf.  This is what allows us to be restored to fellowship with God our Father and have eternal salvation.  This is the “Good News” and truly the focus of this day, but there is much more for us to receive in Christ through what transpired on the cross at Calvary.  Through the cross we have access to the same power that allowed Jesus to rise from the dead.  God has empowered us as His sons and daughters to walk out our faith with confidence and trust in Him, which is what activates this power in our day to day lives.

The following are 5 additional benefits/opportunities for His resurrection power to come alive within us:

• Resurrect Hope – “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 shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5

• Resurrect Purpose – “ For we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works that He prepared for us in advance” Ephesians 2:10

• Resurrect Faith –  “Now faith is the confidence in what we hope for and the assurance about what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1

• Resurrect Joy – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13

• Resurrect Life – “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10 

In a world that lacks hope, purpose, faith, joy and life; Easter (Resurrection Day) is a day that reminds us that we have access to God’s power so His life can come alive in each of us.  Jesus is the source of our Resurrection power.  "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die” John 11:25

 Remember that we are REDEEMED, RENEWED, RESTORED, RECONCILED, RESCUED & made RIGHTEOUS in Christ. 

Hallelujah, Christ is Risen!!!!!  Have a blessed Easter!!!!!!!!!!!!

Blessings,
Duane

Word of the Week - Testimony (God Story) - Part 3

“They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” Rev. 12:11

Testimony" is translated from the Greek word martyria, which means "evidence." But not just any evidence. To put it simply, your Testimony is your God story, which includes the pain you've been through on the way to where you are today.  Every believer has a Testimony and even though they can be very different from person to person, they all matter and should be used to testify to what God has done in our lives. 

My Personal Testimony – In last week’s “Word of the Week”, see below, I shared my personal testimony (our God Story).  This week I am hoping to share how my personal walk with the Lord has impacted and influenced every other area of my life for the good.  This has created chapters of my testimony related to certain areas of my life.  For example, I founded Founders Advisors, shortly after I came to faith.  The new Duane approached business in a totally different manner from the old me, which over the last 21 years has turned into something that is quite amazing from my perspective.  I wanted to share a short overview of this chapter of my God story that I hope will encourage you to invite the Lord into every area of your life, especially your vocation.  If you are in business, I would encourage you to invite God into your business and see what He will do in you and through you.

Before I knew Jesus in a personal way, I saw my vocation in business as a means to an end, to achieve and get the things I desired for me and my family.  I saw the people in business that worked for me and with me as resources to help me and the business achieve our goals.  I felt no real desire or responsibility to invest in people beyond the task and mission at hand.  I did understand that if people liked me and/or respected me they would produce more, so I worked to gain favor with others, but it was mostly out of selfish ambition.  I bought whole heartedly into the idea that the goal of a business should be to maximize profits and use whatever tactics needed, as long at legal and ethical needed to achieve this goal, even if it meant pushing myself and others to an unhealthy place.  I am not just talking about working hard or being challenged or stretched, which I still believe are important to a winning attitude and culture.  I am talking about trying to squeeze as much as I could out of myself and those around me to a point that was not healthy or sustainable.  I had a scarcity mentality, which translated into more of a lose/win zero-sum view of the world.  This drove me to operate more out of fear vs. faith.  This is the more secular worldly approach to business.  Operating in this way brought a small measure of success, but the cost and damage to me, my family and those around me was high.  This was not a life giving or sustainable path for me.  Deep down I knew there was a better way that I had seen and witnessed but I did not have a map or model to know how to change from my mode of operation that I had learned developed over the years.  The trauma and pain of my first entrepreneurial venture made me question many things about myself and life at a different level.  This put me on a path of seeking the things of God to answer these questions.

How my faith came alive in my vocation/business – As I shared last week, I had a life changing faith awakening at the age of 33 when I connected the dots of knowing my life purpose by knowing God and surrendering my life to God.  A few weeks after having this life changing experience, I had lunch with Pastor Chris and shared what God had done in my heart and my life.  He was encouraged for me and asked me where God was leading me in this new paradigm of faith.  I told him I was thinking about going into full time ministry.  He asked me why, and I said “well I thought that is what you did when you were really serious and fired up about God”.  He laughed and said not necessarily!  He asked me what I did for work, and I told him I was an investment banker who did M&A advisory.  He asked me if I enjoyed my job and if I felt like I was good at it.  I told him that I really loved my job/career and felt like I was pretty good at it and could be great at it one day.  He encouraged me to continue to work in my current job/career and suggested that I could think about my job/career as a platform for ministry.  That I could minister to others in the marketplace and possibly reach people who would never be reached by “churches or ministries”.  That doing business and making money was as holy a calling as being a pastor.  That I could love and serve God from the marketplace as well as I could working full time for a church or ministry.  This was such a gift that encouraged me and gave me tremendous energy as I began to think about how God could use me to live out my God purpose through the marketplace.  After my first entrepreneurial experience I had pretty much resolved that I would never own a business again.  My newfound faith, coupled with the perspective I gleaned from my conversation with PC, ignited a new vision within me for how I might walk out my God purpose in the marketplace and shortly thereafter Founders Advisors was birthed.

How God has impacted my vocation/business over the past 22 years – First and foremost, my new perspective on life from a lens of faith and surrender, changed how I saw my vocation/job/business.  As I began to walk out my faith day to day, it had a huge impact on my attitude and behavior.  My perspective shifted to a mindset of stewardship and understanding that God was the owner of all things, and I was being given the opportunity to manage and steward the things placed under my authority.  This changes everything, especially how we see and deal with people.  There is a much higher calling and purpose to what we are doing and God’s standard on how we deal with people is very high.  I began to have a mindset of abundance vs. scarcity and understood that in God’s economy win/win is the way.  Simply add value and there is plenty to pie to go around.  When I started Founders Advisors in 2003, I prayerfully navigated the process and felt like it was truly a divine set of circumstances that led to the opportunity.  This time around I was determined to do things differently.  I started by committing the business to the Lord and acknowledging before God and others that this was not my business, even though I had the company stock in my name, but it was God’s business, and I was simply designated as the lead steward. 

Ove the past 21 years I have held the company with a loose grip, knowing that it is not my business, and ultimately, I am not in control.  I simply get to be a steward and leader.    Since the beginning, we have framed our vision, mission, and values upon scriptural truths that we felt aligned with our faith.  I have also remained committed to a daily abiding walk with the Lord to stay dependent upon Him and made First Fruits a daily rhythm.  God has spoken to me in amazing ways over the years and directed many of our decisions over the years.  I routinely spend the first part of my day in God’s word along with prayer and praise, seeking my daily bread and fresh manna.  In the early years of Founders, my partners and team decided to start doing First Fruits to see what God would do, and we would set aside 45 minutes each morning for a time of “First Fruits”.  This was a special time that God blessed and used in amazing ways over the years.  We have always started the week with a desire to connect with God and with each other.  To this day, we encourage our team on Monday mornings to pursue First Fruits by putting on praise music throughout the office for the first 45 minutes of the day.  During this time, my partners and I connect and pray together.  We then have a time of connecting in small groups within the firm to be begin our week with a relational connection before we just get going.  We begin these meetings with prayer.  We are mostly a firm of type A go-getters, so it would be easy and natural to just get to plowing on Monday morning.  We intentionally practice the discipline of “Order”.  Put first things first, people.  This reinforces the essence of our culture and firm purpose which is Servant Leadership.  Thinking about and putting people first.  Our stated Purpose “Be Servant Leaders who value relationships and results”. Both are equally important, but people come first in God’s economy.  These are just a few examples of how we invite the Lord into our business. 

Our business has grown and realized much success over the past 21 years and that is attributed to many factors including great people.  I would not imply that our business success is solely based on God blessing because of these practices.  I would say that God has blessed me and our firm immeasurably over the past 21 years in ways well beyond business success.  We have seen young men and women come to know God in a personal way and watched endless numbers of our team members grow and flourish in life both personally and professionally.  I would say that the health of our team and business is better than it has ever been, and I do give much of the credit to God working in and through me and our leadership team.  Our focus as a leadership team is to build a healthy and sustainable business.  Profit is an important consideration but should be evaluated as a function of health and sustainability longer term. We are positioned to grow and flourish, and I do believe that this is a result of God’s hand on our business.  We have a bold Vision, Mission and Purpose that has been inspired by the Lord, that I believe will allow us to reach goals in our business that would have not been possible but for God and His leading and blessing. I believe that we are just beginning, and the best is yet to come.

I wish I could share more about what God has done and what He is doing, but hopefully this gives you a glimpse of this amazing chapter of my God story.  If you are interested, you can glean more of this story by watching some of the videos we put together for our firm’s 20th Anniversary Celebration last year.  See below:

History –  https://vimeo.com/821045048

Culture – https://vimeo.com/user17937465/ourculture

Future –  https://vimeo.com/820959786

Blessings,
Duane

Word of the Week - Testimony (God Story) - Part 2

“They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” Rev. 12:11

Testimony" is translated from the Greek word martyria, which means "evidence." But not just any evidence. To put it simply, your Testimony is your God story, which includes the pain you've been through on the way to where you are today.  Every believer has a Testimony and even though they can be very different from person to person, they all matter and should be used to testify to what God has done in our lives. 

My Personal Testimony – In last week’s “Word of the Week”, see below, I shared a message on the power of our testimony (our God Story) and how it can and should be used to encourage others to come to faith and walk out their faith.  This past Monday I shared a very short version of my testimony with my team at Founders and encouraged them to look for opportunities to do the same.  In this spirit, I feel led to share my testimony with you.  I hope it encourages you and increases your faith and hope in Jesus!

• Before I knew Jesus in a personal way my life from the outside looked somewhat normal, and most people who knew me back then would probably say I was good.  The truth is that I was deeply struggling on the inside. I felt lost and without purpose. I lacked identity and thus I was terribly insecure. I believed in God and knew that the answer to my identity and purpose crisis had something to do with God, but I didn’t know how to resolve it and I was fearful of what that meant.  I had a religious and performance-based view of God. I lived with guilt and shame and felt like I was never good enough.  I had habitual sin in my life that I knew was not good or healthy, but I did not have the power to overcome it. My thought life was not healthy.  I would try to escape my reality by dreaming and fantasizing about things that were not healthy and at the worst of times, not pure. My key relationships (wife, children, family, friends) were ok but surely not thriving. I had several strained relationships on the verge of falling apart.  My basic view on life was how do I get through this life and my responsibilities in a way that is decent and admirable. I lived with fear and anxiety. I was chasing things and very temporal life experiences in my pursuit of happiness. I did not really understand true joy or peace and surely was not experiencing it in my life.  

In pursuit of the American Dream, I underwent many trials in my late twenties and early thirties that rocked my world. I started a business immediately following graduation from business school with lots of hope and enthusiasm.  Over a four-year period, the business nearly destroyed me and my family.  It cost me almost everything, but I was determined to succeed.  By brute force I poured everything I had and worked tirelessly to overcome the challenges I was facing.  To the world this may sound noble but in hindsight it was terribly foolish and selfish. It led to what I thought to be a near death experience.  At the ripe age of 29, I was rushed to the hospital by ambulance thinking I was having a heart attack to find out after an overnight stay and series of tests, I had an anxiety attack.  Financially, we had invested everything we had in the business and were on the verge of personal bankruptcy. I had given everything to the business and my life was a mess and empty.  It was even affecting my health in a major way. “There is a way that seems right to a man but in the end leads to death” Proverbs 14:12 Fortunately, my dear wife Amy finally said enough is enough and gave me a clear ultimatum.  “She told me that I would either get out of the business or else it is over for us!” This began a long series of terribly painful events including having to ask my father-in-law to help me out of this situation, which was terribly painful for me due to my pride, insecurity, and fear of failure. This life experience impacted me in a way that made me question everything and I started asking the deeper questions to find the answers.

• How I came to receive Christ – After selling out of the business, I began focusing on getting my life back in order and somewhat healthy.  My life stabilized and got back to a more normal and sustainable pace but I was continually plagued with discontent and lack of identity and purpose.  Not to mention my wife Amy was enduring an intense battle with depression that was really challenging for us.  I felt God was calling me to a deeper relationship with Him.  My brother-in-law Hamp Green and my sister-in-law Colette had recently come to faith.  I had heard their testimonies and seen a major shift in their lives that got my attention.  They had recently joined a new church in Bham called Church of the Highlands.  They invited us to attend, and in the first service I attended I felt the Holy Spirit prompting me toward something new, but we were not ready to make that move.  I then started attending a men’s small group at Richard and Patty Ann Randalph’s house in Crestline where Pastor Chris Hodges (PC) was leading a group of young businessmen on a study of finding our “Life Purpose”.  I was dying to know my God given purpose.  PC made it so simple and said “If you want to know your life purpose you must know the God, the one who created you for a specific purpose”.  He referred to Ephesians 2:10 and made it clear that God created every person for a specific and unique God ordained purpose.  To know our purpose, we have to know God in a personal way and surrender our lives to Him.  So that day in the fall of 2001 at the ripe age of 33, I surrendered my life to Jesus in Richard’s living room.  I have never been the same since!!!!!!  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, and the new is here.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

• After I surrendered my life to Jesus – I had always heard the term “Born again” but I never understood what that meant and was somewhat fearful of what that would mean if it happened to me.  Well, I learned what it meant to be “Born again”.  I know every salvation experience is different, but for me I experienced a miraculous and profound change in my life.  It was like I woke up the next day after surrendering my life to Jesus and my heart and brain had been reprogrammed.  I had a very new and different perspective on life, and I came alive in way I had never experienced.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that what is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Do not marvel that I said to you, you must be born again”. John 3:6-7 It was amazing and so encouraging for me.  I immediately began to know and experience my God purpose and for the first time in my 33 years of life, I felt true joy and peace.  I had true sense that God had washed away all of my sins, and I was starting a “new life” with a new identity that was grounded in Christ.  It gave me so much joy and excitement and set me on a new path that I have been walking on now for 23 years.  I have experienced lots of trials and challenges in my life over the past 23 years since giving my life to Jesus, but I have found purpose and hope in all of these trials.  I see how God is using the trials of my life to sanctify me and do something great in me and through me for His glory and purpose.  I now find purpose and joy in my trials.

I shared with my team last week how much God has blessed me and my family over the past 23 years. It is very hard to articulate the difference in my life from before and after knowing Jesus. For me it is literally like two different lives. Before Jesus, I lacked purpose and identity and lived in fear with a sort of survival got to attitude that made life difficult.  I will never know what would have been for my life and family if I would not have come to faith in Jesus, but it is likely I would not still be married and probably not leading Founders, to mention just a few. Without knowing Jesus in a personal and intimate way and experiencing the hope that comes in knowing Him, I would likely not have had the conviction and internal strength to persevere through many challenges of life. “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.  And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.  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 shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” Romans 5:1-8

I have lived the past 23 years with a God purpose and knowing my identity in Christ.  I live my life with excitement to see what God will do.  I am blessed beyond measure in every area of my life. Starting with my marriage and family.  Amy and I have been married for 33 years and have experienced many trials in our marriage.  By the grace of God, our relationship is better than it has ever been.  I have 3 amazing and healthy daughters who love and serve Jesus, two amazing sons by marriage and 7 awesome and healthy grandkids, with number eight on the way😊!!!  Our grandkids are being raised in godly families.  We have a godly heritage that we believe will endure for generations to come.  To my knowledge, I have no broken or strained relationships in my family or amongst my friends.  I have an amazing life filled with life giving relationships.  I get to be part of an amazing church and live in a flourishing community of believers.  God is using me, our family and business for ministry in ways I could have never imagined.  I have abundance flowing in every aspect of my life, which allows me the opportunity to be generous with my time, treasure, and talents!!!  This is the abundant life that Jesus talks about that is available to all of us if we surrender our hearts and lives to Him, make Him Lord of our lives and stay connected to the vine of Christ through abiding.  The only difference between the before and after is Jesus!  Jesus said “I am the vine and you are the branch, if you abide in me (stay connected) then I will abide in you (give us His power) and you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing”. John 15:5

Blessings,
Duane

Word of the Week - Testimony (God Story)

“They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” Rev. 12:11

Testimony" is translated from the Greek word martyria, which means "evidence." But not just any evidence. To put it simply, your Testimony is your God story, which includes the pain you've been through on the way to where you are today.  Every believer has a Testimony and even though they can be very different from person to person, they all matter and should be used to testify to what God has done in our lives. 

Power of our Testimony – It is quite profound what God outlines in Revelations 12:1 for victory in life, the blood of Christ through the Cross and the word of our Testimony.  I love hearing personal Testimonies/stories because it renews and reinforces my faith and allows me to get to know the person sharing their testimony at a deeper level.  Sharing a personal Testimony typically gives you a look into the heart of a person and how God is working in their lives.  No matter how dramatic or simple an authentic Testimony it is always impactful because God is the star of the story.  Of course, most of us tend to think that our Testimony/story is not as exciting or interesting as others so we shy away from sharing it; or we may be sensitive to being politically correct and concerned that we may offend others by sharing our God story. This is a lie and plays right into the enemies plan, to keep us quiet and ineffective.  The bottom line is that God has anointed every believer with a personal Testimony and we should look for every opportunity to tell people our God story. “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord.  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope you have.  But do this with gentleness and respect.”  1 Peter 3:15

Sharing our God Story – As followers of Christ, we are called to share our Testimony with others.  We are not necessarily called to convert people, that is really left up to God and the Holy Spirit.  Our part is to simply look for opportunities to share our God story with others in a loving and respectful way as noted in 1 Peter 3:15. It important to be authentic, humble and God honoring.  I can assure you that this pleases our Father in heaven and plants seeds of faith that will be harvested at the right time.  It is not our responsibility to get people saved but it is our privilege and opportunity to share what God has done for us in our lives.

The elements of a good Testimony/God Story – The primary objective of your Testimony is a clear presentation of your faith and what led you to faith in 3 basic pieces:

1. Before I knew Christ – What my life was like before I accepted Christ.  Use an attention getting first sentence.  Describe it in a way that communicates well to non-believers (don’t use religious terminology). What did my life revolve around? What did I get my security and happiness from?  How did those things let me down and come up empty?

2. How I came to know Christ and receive faith – How and when did I realize that I had an issue of sin in my life?  How did I hear the good news in a way I could receive it?  What compelled me to faith?  What happened when I made a decision of faith?

3. After I received Christ – What are the specific things that have changed in my life such as attitudes, actions, and relationships, since I became a Christ follower.  Try to include personal and relatable illustrations and examples such as how it impacted your marriage, family, and/or business. Share how understanding God’s grace and forgiveness impacted your perspective on your life and others.  Why I am motivated differently.  How my faith has served me in every area of my life and the encouraging journey you have been on through the ups and downs of life and why it matters.

We benefit from sharing our Testimony - Whether you are a pastor, student, business person or laborer there is tremendous power in your testimony and when you share it with others it not only blesses the Lord and others but it has many benefits to you such as: 1) Connecting you in a deeper relationship with others, 2) reminding you of your past and keeping you aware of where you came from and accountable to not falling back into the sins of the past, and 3) building our faith and giving us hope for the future.  We are reminded of how much God personally loves us and what He has done to demonstrate His love.  This is a beneficial and encouraging process. 

“Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me” 2 Timothy 1:8-12

I plan to share my testimony next week along with how our God story can be integrated into our life story and influence every area of our lives including business.

Have a great week!!!!

Blessings,
Duane

Word of the Week - Marriage

“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” Ephesians 5:31

My wife Amy and I hosted our second Heritage Forum Couples event last week at Pursell Farms and it reminded me once again of the blessings of my marriage relationship with Amy.  Over the past 6 years since founding the Heritage Forum www.heritageforums.com, I have worked with a team of friends/leaders to minister to hundreds of high-capacity men in the area of building a godly Heritage to leave a lasting godly legacy.  The reality is that marriage is a holy partnership and until we have unity in our vision as a couple, we are handicapped in our God purpose as a couple and family.  The true power is released when a couple shares in their God vision, mission, and values for their marriage partnership and family.  This unlocks amazing potential for building godly Heritage and generational blessing and legacy.  We started the event with Amy sharing her perspective on the Heritage process and how it has impacted her and our family.  Her perspective is very different than mine, but this is really the blessing of the marriage partnership by God’s design.  It reminded me of the purpose and power of the sacrament of Marriage.  It also encourages me to be a better husband and partner.  We are much better when we are together and unified in Christ!!!!

The sacrament of Marriage is a beautiful gift from God; whereby one man and one woman become united as one through the sacrament of holy matrimony.  For followers of Christ, this union is the only life-long covenant relationship before God (spirit) and man (law).  God established the sacrament of marriage to mirror Christs relationship with His bride, us the Church.  “Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory!  For the wedding of the lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready.  Fine linen, bright and clean, was given to her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) Revelation 19:7-8

Our most refining relationship – The marriage relationship has many benefits and has the potential to produce our greatest blessings in life such as children/family, deep companionship and unconditional love.  It also has the potential to produce the most pain and strife if not submitted to the Lordship of Christ.  Since it is a God ordained covenant relationship, when we get married we are signing up for a lifetime commitment (covenant) regardless of the circumstances that life throws at us, “until death do us part”.  This is pretty intense when you really stop to think about it.  I am not sure I really understood this on my wedding day.  There is no doubt that God knew exactly what He was doing when He instituted the sacrament of Marriage, where two people from different families of origin come together to become one, which in itself can be a major challenge.  No matter how much we love our spouse, there is always going to be friction as we die to ourselves to become one, and navigate the blessings and challenges of life.  This is truly a refining and sanctifying process that either breaks us, or if we allow the spirit of God to work in us, it helps us conform to the image of Christ.  I can honestly say that after 33 years of marriage, there is nothing on earth that has challenged and refined me as much as my marriage relationship with my wife Amy.  I know that God has used my marriage to make me a better person in every area of my life, thank you Lord Jesus!!!!  Ephesians 5 is one of the most beautiful and challenging chapters in the bible as it describes our relationship with Christ in the context of the marriage relationship; “and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:2. Paul goes on in Ephesians 5 to give us instructions on our roles in the marriage, first and foremost that we die to ourselves by submitting to Christ and one another, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” Ephesians 5:21.  Specific instruction for wives “Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything” Ephesians 5:24, then to husbands, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” Ephesians 5:25  I think the Lord makes it pretty straightforward for us but are we willing to trust Him by His word?

Marriage prepares us for our eternal union with Christ  - God is so good that He designed marriage for our benefit to enjoy the beautiful blessing of covenant companionship and the process of reproducing and building our families so we can have a heritage and legacy that we can pass to future generations, which is a wonderful blessing.  That being said, I think His greatest purpose in the sacrament of Marriage is to prepare us for our union with Him as the bride of Christ.  He gave us a tangible way to experience a small glimpse of what we have to look forward to for eternity and to help prepare us for our great wedding banquet with Christ.  I have found over the years of marriage that the most important key to having a good marriage is to stay connected to your spouse.  This requires intentional daily pursuit, we have to continue to put logs on the fire to keep the fire burning strong.  We must live sacrificially and cherish our wives/spouses.  In other words, we have to make our spouses a top priority to keep a healthy and growing relationship.  Our marriage begins with a great ceremony exchanging vows before God and man but only thrives if we stay connected over a lifetime, which is easier said than done.  Ask all the great people you know who’s marriages did not make it.  I believe our marriage relationship resembles our walk with God through our relationship with Jesus.  It begins with the day we surrender our hearts to Jesus and commit our lives to Christ but it only survives and thrives if we stay connected to the vine of Christ through our daily abiding walk with Him. In fact Jesus said we can do nothing of the Spirit unless we are connected to the vine of Christ.   “I am the vine and you are the branch, if you abide in me I will abide in you, and you will bare much fruit.  Apart from me you can do nothing.”  John 15:5

As we grow in marriage and unity with our spouse we must depend upon God to give us what is needed to become a godly spouse and as we abide/connect with Christ, we become more Christ like in preparation for our eternal union with Christ.  These things work together to help us become who God called us to be in Him.  What an amazing God we serve.

If you need some practical biblical insights on how to enhance your marriage especially as it relates to communicating with your spouse, I would highly suggest you watch this message from Jimmy Evans on God's Perfect Plan for Marriage_2_25_2024.  In this message Jimmy does a wonderful job of outlining what it looks like to live out Ephesians 5 in our marriage.  I was convicted and realized once again that I have a ways to go!!!!  I am nowhere near where I used to be, but I am surely not where I want to be. 

Blessings,
Duane

Word of the Week - Money

“People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.  For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.  Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many greifs”. 1 Timothy 6:9-10

Last Sunday my Pastor shared a powerful message on “Money”, which is very relevant and related to the “Word of the Week” on stewardship I shared last week, see below.  It was so powerful and relevant I feel led to share an overview of his message this week.  If you have time, I encourage you to watch this message.  You can access by clicking this link Beyond the numbers - Money .  

Money (Mammon) – for many of us, this topic can be sensitive.  We may ask, what does money have to do with our faith?  Well according to Jesus it has a lot to do with our relationship with God.  Jesus talked about money twice as much as heaven.  16 of the 38 parables of Jesus had to do with money and possessions.  There are over 2000 verses about money and possessions in the bible.  This is simply stated in Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  I have heard it said that if you really want to know what someone values then just review their money ledger (check book or credit card records) and you will know.  Whether we like to admit it or not, this is truth.  The good news is that God’s word is full of instruction on how we should see and handle money and possessions, and even better news is “God’s Way works”!!!  Rev. Billy Graham said “If a person gets their attitudes toward money straight, it will help straighten out almost every other area of their life”.  I believe this and have personally experienced this in my own life.  I believe it starts with getting our heart right toward God and realizing that He is Lord and our provider.  He is the source of everything!!

God’s way vs. our way – Many of God’s principles about money are counter intuitive because they are counter to conventional wisdom.  We are trained to believe that the goal is to achieve the “American Dream” by managing our lives and money a certain way that emphasize the following: 1) Work hard and earn as much as you can, 2) Make more so you have more to spend, 3) Create margin so you can save, 4) Invest your money so you can build security for the future, and 5) Give if you have some left.  This sounds good and right but it is not aligned with God’s way; therefore, it will not result in the outcome our hearts need and yearn for.   

The real question is do we desire to grow rich in the things of this world at the expense of our soul or grow rich in the things of God and live the abundant life that Jesus promises.  The “life that is truly life” is “Godliness with contentment”, which is great gain” 1 Timothy 6:6 The truth is that if desire to live the abundant life that Jesus promised, we must get right in our relationship with money and possessions.  We cannot have both as clearly communicated in the gospel of Luke 16:13 “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon.”

God’s way as it relates to money – “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 3:9-10 When it comes to money and possessions, we must first establish that God is the owner and our provider, see last weeks “Word of the Week” on stewardship.  The proper order is simple, God first in all things especially money and possessions.  If put God first in our relationship with money, then He will bless us and we will live in abundance and be in a position to live generously.  Secondly, we must understand our relationship with money and our heart motivations, so we can pursue God’s way as it relates to how we handle our money and possessions. “Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways.  You have planted much, but have harvested little.  You eat, but you never have enough.  You drink, but never have your fill.  You put on clothes but are not warm.  You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” This is what the Lord Almighty says; “Give careful thoughts to your ways.” Haggai 1:5-7

Beyond the Numbers – God’s way:

1. Calling vs compensation – Our lives count for way more than our ability to earn money.  God created us for a unique God purpose and when we connect with our purpose, we find fulfilment and can live to our full potential.  If we are living in our purpose, we will add lots of value and be blessed financially. “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace”. Acts 20:24

1. Contentment vs Consumerism – Contentment is not the fulfillment of what I desire but the realization of what I already have.  The anecdote to discontentment is living with a grateful heart and having a God perspective.  The truth is that Jesus is enough.  If we can start from there then we will have contentment and God will bless us abundantly.  “Don’t always be wishing for what you don’t have.  For real life and real living are not related to how rich we are.” Luke 12:15

1. God Dependent vs. Independent – It is good to save and have margin, but we can never buy the lie that we will find security in money or possessions.  How much money would be needed to secure your future against all imaginable circumstances?  It is good to plan, but it is foolish to believe that building more net worth “bigger barns” will give us peace and security.  “Then he said, This is what I’ll do.  I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store up surplus grain.  And I’ll say to myself, “you have plenty of grain laid up for many years.  Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” But God said to him, You fool!!!  This very night your life will be demanded from you.  Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?  This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:18-21

1. Stewardship vs. Ownership – Simply put, God owns me and all that He has given me.  The real question is how will He use me and my possessions to accomplish His objectives.  This is our God purpose!! See below “Word of the Week” from last week. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Matthew 6:19-20

1. Generosity vs. Misery – The root word of misery is miser.  Misers hold things with tight hands, but godly generous people hold things with loose and open hands.  Jesus said himself “It is more blessed to give than to receive” Acts 20:35 How tight are we holding onto our stuff?  This is always a great question to ask ourselves, especially as we accumulate more stuff. “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.  Test me in this, “says the Lord Almighty”, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates and heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.  I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe.  “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land, “ says the Lord Almighty”. Malachi 3:10-12 

God’s way works!  I can personally testify to this truth. I tried the worlds way and was essentially bankrupt by the age of 30, both financially and spiritually.  By the grace of God, I surrendered my life to the Lordship of Jesus in my early 30s and changed the way I relate with money and possessions. Since then I have lived in abundance both spiritually and financially.  I am learning and growing each day, but God has opened His floodgates, and our barns are overflowing more and more. This creates an amazing opportunity and blessing to be generous with our money, time, talents, and resources to play our part in God’s awesome plan for a time such as this.  

When we get right with God, money and possessions we actually “Enjoy” our blessings.  God is so awesome that He desires for us to enjoy the blessings He has given us as we live out our God purpose.  It really is a twofer, this is abundant living.  I love how Paul communicates this to Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:17-19 “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 heir 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”.  

I pray we would all grow in this area and experience the “Life that is truly life” as it relates to our money and possessions.

Blessings,
Duane

Word of the Week - Stewardship - Part 2

“His master replied. Well done good and faithful servant (steward).  You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.  Come and share your master’s happiness”. Matthew 25:21

Stewardship – Last week I started a “Word of the Week” on the topic of stewardship by defining what is means to be a steward, see below.  This week I am going deeper into this important aspect of our walk of faith.  I recently heard a teaching to a group of pastors and business leaders from Pastor Robert Morris on the topic of stewardship, which prompted me to reevaluate this area in my own life.  You can hear a similar version of this teaching by clicking this link on Stewardship .  

I am not the owner – “Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all this is in it” Deuteronomy 10:14 Simply put, everything under heaven and on earth was created by God and thus He is the rightful owner.  He entrusts us as stewards over the things He allows us to manage and oversee. Time and again scripture reminds us that He is the owner, and we are His stewards.  We must take this seriously because we will be held accountable for our faithfulness in stewarding His resources.  This includes our time, talent, treasure, truth and relationships, which are all gifts to be stewarded for the ultimate glory of God.  Having more means more responsibility and accountability.  This is a huge opportunity for us as believers to be part of God’s master plan for the world.  He invites us into His plan to play a meaningful role in leveraging our gifts to build His Kingdom and have an eternal impact with eternal rewards. 

I am a steward – “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” 1 Peter 4:10 When we are good stewards, God protects and expands our resources He gives us.  He desires to find good stewards and when we are found to be good stewards, He increases our responsibility by entrusting us with more resources.  In the beginning of Genesis, God created everything and put Adam to work in the garden to take care of it.  Relating this to our lives, Adam’s purpose was to steward the Garden.  In the same context, we must understand that God blesses us with abundance for a God purpose.  We can enjoy the blessings, but we must understand the responsibility and purpose and ensure we are aligned with God’s plan and purpose as we stewards what He has given us.  “To whom much is given, much will be required” Luke 12:48 In the end, we will all give account to the rightful owner, the Lord, to how well we managed the things He has entrusted to us.

Am I a good steward – This is a question I am often asking myself.  How do I know if I am being a good steward of what God has entrusted to me?  I think it starts with evaluating our lives in several areas that include: 

• Fruit - Is God producing good godly fruit in us and through us?  He makes it clear that we will be known by our Fruit “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 Here are some of the questions I ask myself often:  Are the things that God has entrusted with me bearing spiritual fruit and multiplying.  Is my life having an impact on others for God’s glory?  Are people coming to know Christ and growing in their relationship with Jesus through my life and ministry.  How about your family?  Is my spouse, kids and grandkids growing in their walk of faith. Business and vocation, am I using my God witness in my business or day to day vocation to share the love of God and help others grow in their walk with Jesus?  Ministry, am I intentionally and freely sharing and giving away what God has given me.  How am I investing my financial blessings to impact God’s Kingdom?  We should be asking ourselves these questions as we evaluate our stewardship.   

• Accountability – “As iron sharpens iron, so does one person sharpen another” Proverbs 27:17 As we grow in our stewardship, I think it is important that we have accountability to other godly brothers and sisters and get their input.  This is especially needed if we have been entrusted with much.  If we want to make the most of what has given us, we must bring others into our lives to help us.  We are definitely better together, and often we can be blind to our own motives.  We all need the insight of outside godly and trusted counsel to help us see things from different perspectives.

• Blessing and Increase – “For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance” Matthew 25:29 This scripture from the parable of the talents is referring to the servant who invested what God gave him and realized a big return.  If we are being good stewards of what God has entrusted to us, He will bless us, and we will see increase over time.  If we are not seeing a blessing or increase over time, then we need to evaluate our stewardship.  Our God is a God of blessing and increase in all things. 

We serve a God of the more!  I have personally witnessed this in amazing ways over the past 23 years since I gave my heart to Jesus and started walking in a mindset of stewardship.  I have also seen this in a miraculous way in our church over the past 23 years.  I have lived and witnessed firsthand, Ephesians 3:20 and I know God “Can and will do immeasurably more than we can ever ask or imagine by His power at work within us” for His glory.  If we are faithful Stewards, we will experience Ephesians 3:20 in our lives. 

I pray we can live 1 Timothy 6:17-19 and experience the fruit of godly stewardship “the life that is truly life”.  This is the abundant life we have access to through Jesus!!!

Blessings,
Duane

Word of the Week - Stewardship - Part 1

“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 your master’s happiness!” Matthew 25:23

Stewardship – Webster defines stewardship as the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care; faithful and efficient management of property and resources belonging to another in order to achieve the owner’s objectives.  Since God is the owner of all things, the real question we should be asking is: What are God’s objectives? And, how do we manage our gifts, talents, family, and resources toward His objectives?  Therefore, biblical stewardship would imply that we are managing and investing our money, energy, and resources in a way that both glorifies God and serves Him and His creation towards fulfilling His objectives. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” Collossians 3:23 

Most Christians think about stewardship as giving or tithing to the local church.  Although this is important, it is only one aspect of stewardship.  Stewardship is much more comprehensive.  It is based on the foundation that God owns it all, like 100% of our Talent, Time, and Treasure. “If I were hungry I would not tell you; for the world is mine, and all that is in it.” Psalm 50:12  He has simply entrusted us to manage these blessings on His behalf.  This is a different way of thinking that may sound a bit radical but makes perfect sense if you really believe that God is our source and provider.

As believers, God calls us all to be good stewards of all He has entrusted to us.  This is a huge part of our journey of faith in Christ.  Amy and I are stewarding four of our grandkids this weekend down in Mobile, AL as my daughter Saige and her husband Blake are attending a marriage retreat at Lake Martin.  Therefore, I have limited time today and will not be able to fully develop my thoughts on Stewardship but plan to finish this “Word of the Week” next week.

Have a great week!!  

Word of the Week - Order

“For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.  But all things should be done decently and in order”. 1 Corinthians 14:33,40 

What is Order – Order is the organized arrangement of things with an emphasis on prioritizing things by putting first things first.  When things are ordered there is more clarity and peace.  When things are out of order (disordered), there is typically more confusion and strife.  All aspects of life are simply better and more productive when things are in good order.  Order increases productivity and success and disorder typically causes inefficiency and hinders success and progress.  It is a very simple concept that many struggle to grasp and most struggle to live day to day.  For some reason, many of us gravitate towards disorder. 

Our God is a God of Order – Throughout the Bible, we see how much God values order.  Within the wonder and mystery of creation is order.  God has a master plan that is ordered.  Our salvation through the blood of Jesus was pre-planned by God.  1 Peter 1:20 tells us that “Jesus was chosen before creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for our sake”.  Before the prophet Jeremiah was even born, God had a plan for his life.  “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5 We see order throughout the scripture with Noah’s instructions to build the ark to Solomons amazing temple construction to how Jesus ordered and prioritized His days.  Our God is a God of order, and we can greatly benefit by taking notice and organizing our lives in order.

Why should we increase Order in our lives - First and foremost is the reality that we will spend our time and energy on what we prioritize.  The big rock principle is key to living a purposeful life and fulfilling our God given potential.  We must take time to determine what we believe to be the most important things in our lives and allocate the proper amount of time and energy to those things relative to other things.  If we are not intentional then we will not have order and not prioritize the big rocks.  Stephen Covey calls this “Putting First things First”.  In the digital age of smart phones if you do not have clarity on your priorities, you can easily waste your time and possibly your life on things that don’t have meaning or significance. Secondly, order brings success both personally and professionally.  Order puts things in the proper place and eliminates wasting time.  Order increases wealth, favor, success, happiness, self-esteem, self-worth, productivity and promotes excellence.  Order simply creates an environment for us to be healthy and flourish.

With Divine Order comes Diving Blessing – If we prioritize God and make Him our “First Fruit”, we will live in His blessing.  He makes it clear that He desires to be the First in every area of our lives.  The first commandment says “You shall have no other gods before me”. Exodus 20:3  And God promises us that if we make Him the priority then He will bless us.  “But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33 I love this principal because it is very simple and easy to understand.  I call it a “Boudreaux” principle.  God simply desires to be the first Priority in our lives.  I am fully convinced based on my life’s experience that if we put God first and make Him the highest priority, we will be blessed and enjoy the fruits of His spirit.  There is no doubt that order begets blessing both in the spiritual and in the natural. 

And there are even more benefits to living with Order – “My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands (order for living); For length of days and long life and peace will add to you” Proverbs 3:1-2

• Length of Days – Each of us have exactly the same length of a day (24 hours or 1440 minutes or 86,400 seconds) so why does this verse say God will increase the length of your days?  When your life is in order, you increase your efficiency and productivity, which gives you more time, margin, and better quality of life.

• Long Life – By following God’s laws, you increase your time on earth.  And orderly and disciplined approach to life and health will improve our quality and quantity of life.  Things like exercise, healthy eating, good sleep and adequate rest will typically allow us to live longer.

• Peace – An increase in order will decrease stress and increase peace, contentment, and tranquility. Life is simply better when things are in order.

• Overcoming – There are many problems and challenges in life much of what are out of our control.  Order minimizes self-imposed challenges so we can use our energy to deal with the challenges we will face in life.  This is referred to in the bible as being an overcomer.

• Financial success – An ordered life attracts and increase financial success.  We must put things in order to be good stewards and when we are, we are blessed and entrusted with more.  This typically creates an opportunity to be more generous in all areas of life, which also begets more blessing. 

• Order brings relational capacity and increases our influence.

I pray we will seek the Lord and ask Him to order our lives in a way that will make the biggest impact for His Kingdom.

Have a great week!!  

Word of the Week - Forgiveness

“Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our sins as we also forgive those who have sinned against us”.  Matthew 6:12

True Freedom requires Forgiveness - In follow up to last week’s “Word of the Week” on True Freedom, see below, one of God’s conditions to freedom is Forgiveness.  God’s love for us is demonstrated by His amazing grace that “While we were still sinners God died for us” Romans 5:8 In doing so, by His blood Jesus took away the sin of the world to give us access to salvation through Forgiveness of the original sin of Adam and our own personal sin.  God offers us Forgiveness of our sins with only the stipulation that we admit we are sinners in need of His saving grace by confessing our sins to God, and that we extend this same Forgiveness to others.  The truth is that no matter how good we are, we are still sinners “We are all sinners and fall short of the Glory of God”. Romans 3:23. We all need Forgiveness.  God is so loving and good that He literally came to earth in the flesh to give us the gift of Forgiveness and model what it looks like.  Yes, God hates sin, but He loves sinners (us) and desires to wash us clean by His blood through the miracle of Forgiveness, which is available to all who call upon His name with humble and contrite hearts.

Just as the Lord freely Forgives us, He requires us to extend this same grace to others.  “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses”. Matthew 6:14-15 This is challenging because people can really hurt us, and it is very hard to Forgive someone who has wounded you deeply. That being said, it is much worse for us if we allow our hurts to grow bitter roots of resentment.  Research has shown that unresolved conflict and resentment can negatively impact our health and cause emotional, mental, and physical issues such as anxiety, depression, high blood pressure and heart disease.  It has been said that unforgiveness is like drinking poison hoping the other person gets sick; it really impacts us rather than the other person.  On the other hand, if we truly receive and understand the power of God’s Forgiveness, then we will have the capacity, strength, and grace to Forgive others in the same way that God forgives us.  In Forgiving others and letting go, we experience deep healing and restoration in our soul, regardless of how the person we are extending Forgiveness to reacts.  It’s not so much about them and the offense, it’s more about us and our relationship with the Lord.   

Personal health and freedom are big reasons to Forgive others but there is even a more important reason, unforgiveness breaks our fellowship with God.  “So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” Matthew 5:23-24.  By the way it is up to us to make the first move in the process of Forgiveness and it is not a function of the other persons remorse or lack thereof.  Whether they apologize or not, we are still commanded to Forgive the person for the offense, no matter how large or small. We are also called to offer people unlimited Forgiveness even for the same offenses. “Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven” Matthew 18:21-22 It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit through the cross that we have the capacity to forgive others like this!!!!

Forgiveness is not to be confused with reconciliation.  Just because we Forgive people does not mean we have to hang out with them, and it surely does not mean that we minimize what they have done to hurt us.  We are called to Forgive but not necessarily to forget.  The idea of Forgiveness is that we let go so we are not weighed down by the offense, so we can move forward with freedom, but it does not mean that we foolishly repeat the same thing over and over. We must pray for wisdom when it comes to relationships, sometimes they simply may not be healthy for us.  We are ultimately called to Love God and Love others and in doing so we must receive the fullness of God’s love and His Forgiveness, so we have the capacity to extend the same Love to others.  This is the amazing Love and Grace of the Lord. “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace”.  Eph 1:7

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” Ephesians 4:32

I pray you have a great week and live in the abundance of freedom the Lord has for you by receiving and extending Forgiveness!!!

Duane

Word of the Week - True Freedom

“Jesus said, “If you hold to my teachings, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth and the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves to anyone.  How can you say that we shall be set free?”  Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.  Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.  So, if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” John 8:31-36

During January for the past 23 years, I have participated in a season of prayer and fasting that is led by my Pastor Chris Hodges at Church of the Highlands.  You can learn more or join online at 21 Days of Prayer.  This is a season where I work to intentionally give up things I enjoy (certain foods, wine/alcohol, sports/media etc.), to turn down the competing fleshly appetites and noise.  My simple goal is to focus more intensely on my relationship with God. It is always a bit challenging but such an amazing way to start the year.  I desire to give God my “First and Best” (First Fruits)” as I start a new year and declare my dependance on the Lord.  One benefit of prayer and fasting can be gaining clarity on things that may not be so clear when we are just operating in our day-to-day routines of life. 

As this relates to personal freedom, we may be able to relate with the pharisees quoted in John 8 above, many times we don’t even know or realize how we are bound up by sin in our lives.  It has become such a part of how we operate it is too familiar for us to really see it.  Many times we need to step away from our busy routines and the things we fill our time with to make space for God to reveal these things.  We may think life is good, but there is likely something much better for us if we can get to the breakthrough and find true Freedom in Christ.  I have experienced this over the past 23 years since I have been walking with Jesus.  I have come a long way and the level of Freedom I enjoy is nothing less than miraculous based on where I have come from.  That being said, I know God has more and I am praying that He will show me how to go to higher heights of experiencing His amazing grace and true Freedom in every aspect of my life. 

What is the Freedom Jesus is referring to – Romans 3:23 says we are all sinners and fall short.  That is not great news since sin is what separates us from God.   The simple concept is that God allowed sin to enter the world through the garden, the fall of mankind.  But, He has made provision for us all to be washed clean and made new through the blood of Jesus on the cross.  Our first step to being set free is to fully accept Jesus as our Savior and give our hearts to Him.  There is no greater gift than this.  The amount of Freedom we experience through this miraculous gift is overwhelming.  I will never forget the feeling I experienced when I realized that I was washed clean starting afresh and assured of my eternal destiny.  This is the first major step to true Freedom.  But it does not stop there.  Even though we are saved and have assurance of our eternal destiny, there is a lot to be worked out in our lives that has accumulated over the years.  I was 33 years old when I experienced this Freedom and it was amazing, but the sanctifying work of the God’s Spirit was just beginning.  Over the past 23 years, I have steadily been tested and refined by fire but have continuously realized new levels of Freedom in my life from things that at one time really had a grip on me.  Things like bad habits, attitudes, mindsets, tones, how I see and treat family, colleagues and people in general.  This is our sinful nature.  I simply had formed some bad thinking over many years and had bad examples and experiences that scard me.  Many of these things I didn’t even see until God revealed them to me through people around me that could see better than I could.  Jesus desires us to be “Free Indeed” and have nothing that binds us and keeps us from His best for us.  This is the abundant life he promises us.   

How do we experience True Freedom - Making the decision to surrender our lives to Christ and follow Him is the beginning of the journey of faith.  To experience the fullness of Freedom available as a Christ follower, we must know God intimately.  Jesus makes it clear at the beginning of John 8:31 that if we want the full benefits He offers, we must “Hold to His teachings”, in other words, we must know Him through His Word.  This makes us true disciples and followers.  The way to know Him is to Abide in Him, the Vine of Christ.  Jesus promises us that “if we abide in Him then He will abide in us, and we will bear much fruit; apart from Him we can do nothing” of eternal significance”. John 15:5 There is amazing Freedom, protection, peace and much more that comes from abiding and knowing Jesus personally.  I have personally experienced this in a big way over the past 23 years as I have connected to the vine of Jesus.  This is why John 15:5 is my favorite verse and I share it with others as the secret to a successful life of faith.  God commands us as His followers to make abiding in Him a daily priority and pursuit.

Here are a few ways we abide/connect with Jesus: 

1) God’s Word / Bible - reading or listening to the book He gave us that tells us about His very nature and what He cares about, 2) Prayer - talking with the Lord daily and intimately, 3) Praise & Worship – letting Him know how great He is and how much we appreciate what He has done for us,

4) Ministry - making a point to care about what He cares about by loving and serving others, 5) Evangelism / Discipleship - telling people about Him and how great He is, 6) Fellowship of believers - encouraging each other in our walk of faith, and 7) simply thinking about Him and meditating on who He is and who you are in Him.  

How do we continue to walk in True Freedom – Godly Relationships are key!  God made us for relationship with Him and others; therefore, He designed it so that we cannot realize the fullness of the Freedom He has for us if we are not in deep authentic relationship with other believers.  In fact, He tells us to “confess our sins to each other and pray for each other so that we may be healed.” James 5:16 We go to God for forgiveness, but we get healing and Freedom by confessing our sins to one another.  I am sure we have all experienced having sin or some issue that we kept secret, and it caused tremendous internal strife within us and possibly beyond.  The key is to bring those things into the light by confessing them to others.  This is how we get freed up and find healing so we can continue forward in our journey of faith and realize our full God potential. Not only do we need to have people who we can confess our sins to, but we also need others close enough to us that they can speak into our lives, especially in areas of weakness that we cannot fully see called “blind spots”.  By the way, we all have them and since we are blind to them, so we need others to help us.  This has been huge in my life and in areas I would have never been able to overcome without authentic relationships and allowing others to speak into my life.

I pray we all live our lives connected to the vine of Christ and in relationship with others, so we can experience the True Freedom that God offers and be “Free Indeed”!!!!

“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

Have a great week!!!!

Word of the Week - Biblical End time Events and Timeline - Prophecy part 7

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.  For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away.  That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.  Two men will be in the field, one will be taken and the other left.  Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.  Therefore, keep watch, because we do not know on what day the Lord will come.” Matthew 24:36-42

In follow up to my “Word of the Week” on Prophecy part 1,2,3,4,5 & 6 – see below, this week I will cover the final 3 of 12 major Biblical End time events outlined below. Even though it was longer than I anticipated, I hope it was useful and encouraging in giving you insight and context to biblical end time events and prophecies.  Please note: Most of the content in this “WOW” was referenced from two sources: 1) Pastor Jimmy Evans book titled “Whats next Israel – Gaza War” and from 2) gotquestions.org website.  

End Time Events and Sequence: The following is what my research suggests as the most likely End Time Events and Chronological Sequence of these events:

1. Rapture of the Church, 2) Rise of the Antichrist, 3) The Tribulation, 4) The Battle of Gog and Magog, 5) The abomination of desolation,

1. The Battle of Armageddon, 7) The Judgment of the Nations, 8) The binding of satan, 9) The Millennial Kingdom, 10) The Last Battle,

11) The Great white throne judgement, and 12) The new creation

I covered the first 9 in prior weeks and will cover the final 3 this week.

The Last Battle – At the end of the 1,000 years, scripture implies Satan will be released from his prison for a short time. He will deceive the nations once again, and there will be a rebellion against the Lord that will be quickly defeated (Revelation 20:7–10). Satan will be cast into the lake of fire, never to reappear.  Final victory over the enemy!!!

The Great White Throne Judgment - The great white throne judgment is described in Revelation 20:11-15 and is the final judgment prior to the lost being cast into the lake of fire. We know from Revelation 20:7-15 that this judgment will take place after the millennium and after Satan is thrown into the lake of fire where the beast and the false prophet are (Revelation 19:19-20; 20:7-10). The books that are opened (Revelation 20:12) contain records of everyone’s deeds, whether they are good or evil, because God knows everything that has ever been said, done, or even thought, and He will reward or punish each one accordingly (Psalm 28:4; 62:12; Romans 2:6; Revelation 2:23; 18:6; 22:12).

The “book of life” (Revelation 20:12) determines whether a person will inherit eternal life with God or receive everlasting punishment. Although Christians are held accountable for their actions, we are saved by the sacrifice Jesus made through the Cross and forgiven in Christ.  As believers, our names are written in the “book of life from the creation of the world” (Revelation 17:8). We also know from Scripture that it is at this judgment when the dead will be “judged according to what they had done” (Revelation 20:12).  The fact that there is going to be a final judgment for all people, both believers and unbelievers, is clearly confirmed in many passages of Scripture.

The bible implies there is a second judgment of believers often referred to as the “judgment seat [bema] of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:10). At this judgment, Christians will receive degrees of reward for their works and service to God.  This is not a heaven or hell judgement but a way to reward believers for our works and deeds while we were on earth serving Jesus. Romans 14:10-12 says that we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ and that each one of us will give an account to God.

The New Creation “Jerusalem” - The New Jerusalem, which is also called the Tabernacle of God, the Holy City, the City of God, the Celestial City, the City Foursquare, and Heavenly Jerusalem, is literally heaven on earth. It is referred to in the Bible in several places (Galatians 4:26; Hebrews 11:10; 12:22–24; and 13:14), but it is most fully described in Revelation 21.

In Revelation 21:1 God does a complete make-over of heaven and earth (Isaiah 65:17; 2 Peter 3:12–13). The new heaven and new earth are what some call the “eternal state” and will be “where righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13). After the re-creation, God reveals the New Jerusalem. John sees a glimpse of it in his vision: “The Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (Revelation 21:2). This is the city that Abraham looked for in faith (Hebrews 11:10). It is the place where God will dwell with His people forever (Revelation 21:3). Inhabitants of this celestial city will have all tears wiped away (Revelation 21:4).

The New Jerusalem will be a place of unimagined blessing. The curse of the old earth will be gone (Revelation 22:3). In the city are the tree of life “for the healing of the nations” and the river of life (verses 1–2). It is the place that Paul spoke of: “In the coming ages [God] might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7). The New Jerusalem is the ultimate fulfillment of all God’s promises. The New Jerusalem is God’s goodness made fully manifest.

So be encouraged, as believers we have much to look forward to for eternity.  I pray we will remain connected to the vine of Christ, so He can produce great fruit in us an through us and we will use all of our blessings to do good works and store up treasure in heaven for the coming age Matthew 20:19-21.

“When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:23

Looking forward to the “New” in 2024!!!!

-Duane

Word of the Week - Biblical End time Events and Timeline - Prophecy part 6

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.  For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away.  That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.  Two men will be in the field, one will be taken and the other left.  Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.  Therefore, keep watch, because we do not know on what day the Lord will come.” Matthew 24:36-42

In follow up to my “Word of the Week” on Prophecy part 1,2,3,4 & 5 – see below, this week I will cover 3 more of the 12 major Biblical End time events outlined below. As mentioned, there is no certainty to the exact sequence or timing of these events.  My hope is that this summary gives good insight and context to these biblical end time events and prophecies.  Please note: Most of the content in this “WOW” was referenced from two sources: 1) Pastor Jimmy Evans book titled “Whats next Israel – Gaza War” and from 2) gotquestions.org website.  

End Time Events and Sequence: The following is what my research suggests as the most likely End Time Events and Chronological Sequence of these events:

1. Rapture of the Church, 2) Rise of the Antichrist, 3) The Tribulation, 4) The Battle of Gog and Magog, 5) The abomination of desolation,

1. The Battle of Armageddon, 7) The Judgment of the Nations, 8) The binding of satan, 9) The Millennial Kingdom, 10) The Last Battle,

11) The Great white throne judgement, and 12) The new creation

I covered the first 6 in prior weeks and will cover 7-9 this week.

The Judgment of the Nation – The judgment that Jesus describes in Matthew 25, is for those who are alive at the Second Coming.  Most people imagine that God will judge them only after they die.  For the vast majority, that will be true.  However, the judgment of the nations is a judgement of the living.  Jesus said that “before Him shall be gathered all the nations”.  This event is called the “judgement of the nations” to distinguish it from God’s other judgements.  Although this judgement is called the judgment of nations, it is not a judgment of national groups of people.  The Greek word translated “nations” implies Gentiles; and the context indicates that individuals, not groups, will be evaluated.  These individuals, from all the nations of the earth, will consist of both unbelievers and believers.  Jesus shall separate the sheep from the goats. 

Those who survive the horrible years of God’s Tribulation wrath will meet Jesus face to face.  He will determine who enters His earthly, Millennial Kingdom.  The believers will become the first people to populate the earthly Kingdom.  They will consist of the righteous Gentiles living with righteous Israel in its restored Kingdom.  Jesus declared, “When the Son of man shall come in His glory…then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory”.  Matthew 25:31 It is believed that this verse describes the Lord’s Second coming at the end of the seven-year Tribulation period.  The New Testament truth finds roots in Old Testament prophecy.  Although Jesus came once, His reign of justice on this earth has not yet begun.  He spoke of His return to be when that reign will commence.  Then all the prophecies will find fulfillment when the Messiah, the son of David, reigns in Jerusalem (Isaiah 9:6-7; Hosea 3:4-5; Daniel 7:13-14, Zech 9:9-10).

The binding of satan - Of all the captivating events covered in Revelation, Satan being bound for a thousand years is one of the most discussed and debated. We take a literal view of the thousand years of Satan’s captivity.  The battle that rages in Armageddon the precursor to Satan’s captivity. Jesus returns to completely route the beast, the false prophet, and the vast armies gathered to defeat Israel. At the end of the battle, “the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. . . The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh” (Revelation 19:20–21). By simply speaking, Jesus (the rider) is instantaneously victorious against the forces of evil. His power is ever evident in Scripture, and His victory at the battle of Armageddon is yet one more proof that He is Lord.

With the human foes out of the way, Jesus turns His attention to Satan. Revelation 20:1–3 tells us, “And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.” This thousand-year period is commonly referred to as the millennial kingdom.  During this time, Satan no longer has influence over the inhabitants of the earth.

The Millennial Kingdom - The millennial kingdom is the title given to the 1,000-year reign of Jesus Christ on the earth. Some interpret the 1,000 years in an allegorical manner. However, six times in Revelation 20:2-7, the millennial kingdom is specifically said to be 1,000 years in length. If God wished to communicate “a long period of time,” He could have easily done so without explicitly and repeatedly mentioning an exact time frame.  The Bible tells us that when Christ returns to the earth He will establish Himself as king in Jerusalem, sitting on the throne of David (Luke 1:32–33). The unconditional covenants demand a literal, physical return of Christ to establish the kingdom.

At the second coming, these covenants will be fulfilled as Israel is re-gathered from the nations (Matthew 24:31), converted (Zechariah 12:10–14), and restored to the land under the rule of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. The Bible speaks of the conditions during the millennium as a perfect environment physically and spiritually. It will be a time of peace (Micah 4:2–4; Isaiah 32:17–18), joy (Isaiah 61:7, 10), and comfort (Isaiah 40:1–2). The Bible also tells us that only believers will enter the millennial kingdom. Because of this, it will be a time of obedience (Jeremiah 31:33), holiness (Isaiah 35:8), truth (Isaiah 65:16), and the knowledge of God (Isaiah 11:9; Habakkuk 2:14). Christ will rule as king (Isaiah 9:3–7; 11:1–10). Nobles and governors will also rule (Isaiah 32:1; Matthew 19:28), and Jerusalem will be the political center of the world (Zechariah 8:3).

“When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:23

I plan to complete this series on prophecy next week.

Have a great week!!!!

-Duane

Word of the Week - Biblical End time Events and Timeline - Prophecy part 5

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.  For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away.  That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.  Two men will be in the field, one will be taken and the other left.  Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.  Therefore, keep watch, because we do not know on what day the Lord will come.” Matthew 24:36-42

I hope you are well on this New Year’s Eve!!   In follow up to my “Word of the Week” on Prophecy part 1,2,3 & 4 – see below, this week I will cover 3 more of the 12 major Biblical End time events outlined below. As mentioned before, there is no certainty in the exact sequence or timing of these events, but I believe it is useful and important to have relative context and a framework for these major end time events.  Please note: Most of the content in this “WOW” was referenced from two sources: 1) Pastor Jimmy Evans book titled “Whats next Israel – Gaza War” and from 2) gotquestions.org website.  

End Time Events and Sequence: The following is what my research suggests as the most likely End Time Events and Chronological Sequence of these events:

1. Rapture of the Church, 2) Rise of the Antichrist, 3) The Tribulation, 4) The Battle of Gog and Magog, 5) The abomination of desolation,

1. The Battle of Armageddon, 7) The Judgment of the Nations, 8) The binding of satan, 9) The Millennial Kingdom, 10) The Last Battle,

11) The Great white throne judgement, and 12) The new creation

I covered the first 3 in prior weeksd and will cover 4-6 this week.

The Battle of Gog and Magog as mentioned in Prophecy Part 4 below “Israel stands at the center of End Times Prophecy”, to give context and reference to what is happening in Israel and the middle east today in relation to historical biblical prophesies.  Gog and Magog appear in Ezekiel 38—39 and in Revelation 20:7–8. While these two passages use the same names, a close study of Scripture clearly demonstrates they do not refer to the same people and events. The events are separated by at least 1,000 years. In Ezekiel’s prophecy, Gog will be the leader of a great army that attacks the land of Israel, which is “peaceful and unsuspecting” at the time (Ezekiel 38:11). Gog is described as “of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal” (Ezekiel 38:2–3).

When will Ezekiel’s battle of Gog and Magog occur? There are a couple of theories: Before the tribulation begins. This view points to the fact that, after the battle, the people of Israel will be burning the enemy’s weapons for seven years and spend over seven months burying the dead (Ezekiel 39:9–10, 12–16). That length of time most likely requires the battle to be fought before the tribulation, and possibly even before the rapture of the church. During the first part of the seven-year tribulation. This view hinges on the fact that Israel is at peace when the attack begins (Ezekiel 38:8, 11). The security Israel enjoys is assumed to be the result of Israel’s covenant with the Antichrist at the beginning of the tribulation, Daniel’s 70th Week (Daniel 9:27a).

According to Ezekiel, Magog will not win. God will intervene to preserve Israel. “There shall be a great earthquake” (Ezekiel 38:19), “every man’s sword will be against his brother” (verse 21), and God “will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on [Gog] and on his troops and on the many nations with him” (verse 22). The result is that the nations will see God’s greatness and holiness (verse 23).

The abomination of desolation - An abomination is “something that causes disgust or hatred”; and desolation is “a state of complete emptiness or destruction.” Jesus warned that something (or someone) that people detested would stand in the temple someday. When that horror occurred, residents of Judea should seek cover without delay. Other translations speak of “the abomination that causes desolation” (NIV), “the sacrilegious object that causes desecration” (NLT), and “that ‘Horrible Thing’” (CEV). The Amplified Bible adds the note that the abomination of desolation is “the appalling sacrilege that astonishes and makes desolate.”

The prophet Daniel mentioned the abomination of desolation in three places: 1) Daniel 9:27 – “He will make a firm covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week will put a stop to sacrifice and offering.  And the abomination of desolation will be on a wing of the temple until the decreed destruction is poured out on the desolator”.  2) Daniel 11:31 – “Forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifice, and place there the abomination of desolation”. 3) Daniel 12:11 – “From the time that the regulator sacrifice is abolished, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days”

The wording in the above translations indicates that the abomination of desolation is an object; in some other translations, the abomination appears to be a person: “On the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate” (Daniel 9:27, ESV). Regardless of whether the abomination of desolation is a person or a thing, Daniel predicted the following:

1. A future ruler will make a treaty with the people of Israel.
2. The terms of this treaty will be for a “week”—which is interpreted to be a period of seven years.
3. Midway through this time, the ruler will gather his troops and put an end to the sacrifices and offerings in the temple.
4. At that time the ruler will desecrate the temple, setting up some type of sacrilegious object.
5. The desecration of the temple will continue until the judgment of God is finally meted out on the ruler and his followers, 1,290 days (3½ years and 1 month) later.

Those who are alive during the tribulation should be watchful and recognize that the breaking of the covenant with Israel and the abomination of desolation will herald the beginning of the worst 3½ years in history (see Matthew 24:21). “Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36).

The Battle of Armageddon - The word Armageddon is used generically today to refer to any type of catastrophic conflict, especially if it’s seen as likely to result in widespread destruction or the annihilation of human life. In the Bible, Armageddon refers to a climactic future battle between God and the forces of evil, as recorded in the book of Revelation. The word ultimately comes from the Hebrew word Har-Magedone, which means “Mount Megiddo,” the predicted location of the battle.

Revelation 16:12–16 is the record of what will happen toward the end of the tribulation, when an angel pours out the sixth bowl judgment on the earth. The word Armageddon makes its only appearance in the Bible in this passage:
“The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. . . . Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.”

In Revelation 19:11–20, a final battle occurs at Christ’s second coming as the conquering Christ defeats the forces of the Antichrist. We take this to be a description of the Battle of Armageddon mentioned in Revelation 16:
“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter.’ He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

The exact location of Armageddon is unclear because there is no mountain called Meggido. However, since Har can also mean “hill,” the most likely location is the hill country surrounding the plain of Meggido, some sixty miles north of Jerusalem. Throughout history, armies have fought countless battles in that region: Egyptians, Assyrians, Greeks, Romans, and Crusaders fought in Megiddo, as well as the armies of Napoleon. Megiddo was the site of battles during World War I and the Arab-Israeli War of 1948 (Weintraub, P., “Rewriting Tel Megiddo’s Violent History,” Discover, Sep 30, 2015). In the future, the plain of Megiddo and the nearby plain of Esdraelon will also be the focal point for the battle of Armageddon.
The plain of Megiddo, or Armageddon, was famous for two great victories in Israel’s history: 1) Barak’s victory over the Canaanites (Judges 4:15) and 2) Gideon’s victory over the Midianites (Judges 7). Armageddon was also the site of two great tragedies: 1) the death of Saul and his sons (1 Samuel 31:8) and 2) the death of King Josiah (2 Kings 23:29–30; 2 Chronicles 35:22).

According to the futurist interpretation of Revelation, which is this view, the Battle of Armageddon will be a real battle in the future, near the end of the tribulation. Demonic influences will cause the kings of the earth to gather their armies for an all-out assault on Jerusalem. The Antichrist will be leading the charge (Revelation 16:13–16). Jesus Christ will return to earth with the armies of heaven (Matthew 25:31; Revelation 19:14); His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4); He will defeat the forces of evil (Revelation 19:15–16); He will cast the Antichrist and the false prophet into the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20); He will bind Satan; and He will set up His kingdom on earth for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1–6).

At Armageddon the Lord Jesus Christ “treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty” (Revelation 16:19), and all things will be made right.

“When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:23

More to come next week.  Be encouraged, we are victorious in Christ!!!!

Happy New Year!!!!!

                                    Duane

Word of the Week - Emmanuel (God with us)

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Emmanuel" (which means "God with us").  Matthew 1:23

Friends and family, I pray you are experiencing a wonderful Christmas Eve!  I pray the Lord’s presence and peace be with you and your loved ones during this special time of year that we set apart to celebrate the birth of Jesus. 

Christ is the true gift of Christmas!  It still amazes me that God sent His only begotten son Jesus down to earth to be the ultimate sacrifice so we can have eternal salvation and live the “life that is truly life” with Him, but He did not stop there.  Jesus came to this earth to be “with us” in the flesh and He remains “with us” in spirit.  As we journey through this brief time we have on earth, our God is with us through the valleys and mountain top experiences of life.  Not only is He “with us” but if we invite Him, He lives “within us” and we can experience the manifest presence of God through the power of the Holy Spirit, our great Comforter.  Under the new covenant established through Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection, we as followers of Christ are the temple of God’s Spirit. 

Oh come, Oh come Emmanuel!!!!!!!  And let’s Rejoice because God is “with us” and “within us” Isaiah 8:8. This is a great reason to Rejoice and give thanks to God during this special season that we celebrate the birth of Christ Jesus.  I pray you would experience the true comfort of Emmanuel during this season and throughout the year.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from our family to yours,

P.S. I will send part 5 of my Word of the Week on Prophecy - Biblical End time Events and Timeline, next week. Taking a break for Christmas!

                                    Duane

Word of the Week - Biblical End time Events and Timeline - Prophecy part 4

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.  For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away.  That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.  Two men will be in the field, one will be taken and the other left.  Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.  Therefore, keep watch, because we do not know on what day the Lord will come.” Matthew 24:36-42

In follow up to my “Word of the Week” on Prophecy part 1,2,&3 – see below, this week I will attempt to frame the timeline and expected series of events that are recorded throughout scripture as it relates to end time prophecy.  There are many views on this topic.  Please note: Most of the content in this “WOW” was referenced from two sources: 1) Pastor Jimmy Evans book titled “Whats next Israel – Gaza War” and from 2) gotquestions.org website.  I apologize in advance for the length of the “Word of the Week”, there is a lot here.

Biblical scholars differ on the exact chronology. I don’t think anyone can dogmatically claim certainty in this area as it is a bit of a mystery and not exactly clear in scripture.  However, the general sequence of major events prophesied in the Bible appears consistent. All that said, based on my studies in this area, I believe we are indeed living in the last days preceding the major events of Christ’s return, which God’s Word repeatedly declares.  Therefore, I encourage you to do your own homework, so are informed and “ready” for what is to come. 

Israel stands at the center of End Times Prophecy.  As covered over the past few weeks, what is unfolding in Israel today is likely not the final war but surely aligns prophetically with events leading up to major end time events.  This is often referred to as birth pains of end times outlined in Matthew 24:1-14, which we are seeing first-hand with the war in Israel and developments around the world.  As noted, the prophet Ezekial foretells of the Gog of Magog invasion of Israel, which is predicted to transpire around the first half of the seven-year Tribulation.  This war is distinctly not Armageddon.  While the identity of Gog remains unclear, Russia has been suggested.  A coalition of hostile powers that include Russia (Rosh), Iran (Persia), and Turkey (Togarmah, Meshech, Tubal and Gomer) to Israel’s North is forming in ways consistent with Ezekiel’s prophecy.  As always, we see through a glass dimly lit, yet God’s Word is trustworthy in foretelling the broader geopolitical alignments that are currently jeopardizing Israel’s security.  This is all unfolding right before us, and we would be foolish not to pay close attention and do our best to understand how the pieces fit together with prophecy as events unfold.

Preface to End Time Events and Sequence: In eschatology, it is important to remember that almost all Christians agree on these three things: 1) there is coming a time of great tribulation such as the world has never seen, 2) after the Tribulation, Christ will return to establish His kingdom on earth, and, 3) there will be a Rapture—a translation from mortality to immortality—for believers (John 14:1-3;1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). The question is when does the Rapture occur in relation to the Tribulation and the Second Coming of Christ?  Through the years three main theories have emerged concerning the timing of the Rapture: pretribulationism (the belief that the Rapture will occur before the Tribulation begins), midtribulationism (the belief that the Rapture will occur at the midpoint of the Tribulation), and posttribulationism (the belief that the Rapture will occur at the end of the Tribulation).  Pretribulation seems to be the most accepted theory, so that is the one I am going with for the purposes of this exercise. 

End Time Events and Sequence: The following is what my research suggests as the most likely End Time Events and Chronological Sequence of these events:

1. Rapture of the Church, 2) Rise of the Antichrist, 3) The Tribulation, 4) The Battle of Gog and Magog, 5) The abomination of desolation,

1. The Battle of Armageddon, 7) The Judgment of the Nations, 8) The binding of satan, 9) The Millennial Kingdom, 10) The Last Battle,

11) The Great white throne judgement, and 12) The new creation

I will cover first 3 in more detail this week and plan to cover the remaining 9 in coming weeks.

The Rapture of the Church is the event when God “snatches away” all believers from the earth in order to make way for His righteous judgment to be poured out on the earth during the tribulation period.  The rapture is described primarily in 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 and 1 Corinthians 15:50–54. God will resurrect all believers who have died, give them glorified bodies, and take them from the earth, along with all living believers, who will also be given glorified bodies at that time. “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” (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17).  The rapture will involve an instantaneous transformation of our bodies to fit us for eternity. “We know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). The rapture is to be distinguished from the second coming. At the rapture, the Lord comes “in the clouds” to meet us “in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). At the second coming, the Lord descends all the way to the earth to stand on the Mount of Olives, resulting in a great earthquake followed by a defeat of God’s enemies (Zechariah 14:3–4). The rapture of the church is a glorious event we should all be longing for. We will finally be free from sin. We will be in God’s presence forever. There is far too much debate over the meaning and scope of the rapture. This is not God’s intent. Rather, the rapture should be a comforting doctrine full of hope; God wants us to “encourage one another with these words”.

The rise of the Antichrist  After the church is taken out of the way through the Rapture (2 Thessalonians 2:7–8), a satanically empowered man will gain worldwide control with promises of peace (Revelation 13:1; Daniel 9:27). He will be aided by another man, called the false prophet, who heads up a religious system that requires worship of the antichrist (Revelation 19:20). The meaning of the term antichrist is simply “against Christ.” As the apostle John records in First and Second John, an antichrist denies the Father and the Son (1 John 2:22), does not acknowledge Jesus (1 John 4:3), and denies that Jesus came in the flesh (2 John 1:7). There have been many “antichrists,” as 1 John 2:18 states. But there is also coming the Antichrist.  Most Bible prophecy/eschatology experts believe the Antichrist will be the ultimate embodiment of what it means to be against Christ. In the end times/last hour, a man will arise to oppose Christ and His followers more than anyone else in history. Likely claiming to be the true Messiah, the Antichrist will seek world domination and will attempt to destroy all followers of Jesus Christ and the nation of Israel.

The Tribulation is a period of seven years in which God’s judgment is poured out on sinful humanity (Revelation 6–16). The Antichrist’s rise to power is associated with this time period. During the tribulation on earth, the Church will be in heaven. It is thought that at this time the Judgment Seat of Christ and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb will occur in heaven (2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 19:6–10). Throughout Scripture, the tribulation is associated with the day of the Lord, that time during which God personally intervenes in history to accomplish His plan (see Isaiah 2:12; 13:6–9; Joel 1:15; 2:1–31; 3:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:2). It is referred to as “tribulation . . . in the latter days” (Deuteronomy 4:30, ESV); the great tribulation, which refers to the more intense second half of the seven-year period (Matthew 24:21); “a time of distress” (Daniel 12:1); and “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7, NKJV). And we have this description of the tribulation that attends the day of the Lord: The tribulation will be marked by various divine judgments, celestial disturbances, natural disasters, and terrible plagues (see Revelation 6—16). In His mercy, God sets a limit on the duration of the tribulation. As Jesus said, “Those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now—and never to be equaled again. If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive” (Mark 13:19–20).

“When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:23

More to come next week.  Be encouraged, we are victorious in Christ!!!!  Have a great week….

Thanks,

-Duane

Word of the Week - Highroad - Impact Leadership Conference

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.  Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each you to the interest of others.  In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.  Philippians 2:3-5

Note: I was busy most of this week hosting folks for the Impact Leadership Conference (ILC) immediately followed by a trip to Florida with my wife and family to celebrate my mother-in-law’s 80th birthday.  All that to say, I did not have time to compose part 4 of my prophecy word of the week.  I plan to get the next prophecy “WOW” next week.  This week I decided to share a little teaching and insight from our time with John Maxwell and friends at the ILC.

Our firm, Founders Advisors, was honored once again this year to serve as the Title Sponsor of the Impact Leadership 2023 on behalf of Highlands College.  Highlands College is a biblical higher education institution that exists to supply the Church with leaders of competence, character, and spiritual maturity, holistically trained to lead lives of eternal impact by fulfilling the Great Commission.  I have the privilege of serving on the board of Highlands College and passionately share in the Vision and Mission of Highlands College that addresses the challenge in Luke 10:2 “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few”.    

It was an amazing day with Dr. John Maxwell, Dan Cathy, Pastor Chris Hodges, and Doris Kearns.  I was encouraged, inspired, and equipped by all of these leaders.  If you were not able to attend in person or virtually, I would highly recommend that you take some time to listen to the talks from the Impact Conference.  I don’t have the recorded conference link today but hope to have it early this week.  I plan to email the link to my “Word of the Week” group as soon as I get it.

My friend John Maxwell, who recently turned 76, shared insights and principles from a book he is working on call High Road Leadership.  This is a timely topic as we navigate and lead through the currents of our culture where taking the low road is more common than the high road.  The following are a few of the High Road leadership principles that John shared that resonated with me, so I wanted to share them with you.

John Maxwell’s – High Road Leadership:

1. High Road Leaders - Do the right things for the right reasons

   • Motives matter especially in the life of a leader

   • Leaders see more than others before others see it

   • Leaders use their vision and position to benefit those around us

2. High Road Leaders place people above their agenda

   • Value partnering with people – it is privilege to lead

   • Understand the strength of partnership

   • There is synergy in unity – we are better together

3. High Road Leaders understand partnering with others

   • P – Place others agenda above my personal agenda.  The team is first above me.

   • A – Add value to other daily

   • R – Resource others with influence and ideas

   • T - Taylor your services to meet the need of your team and clients

   • N – Never violate trust it is the most important thing

   • E – Exceed expectations.  The client’s expectations should be the floor

   • R – Respect the relationship and work to strengthen it

4. High Road Leaders have Emotional Capacity (EQ)

   • They have the ability to handle adversity and welcome feedback and constructive criticism

   • They are humble and teachable and value the input of others

   • They are authentic and are comfortable in their own skin

5. High Road Leaders give more than they take

   • They see success in the seeds they sow each day not simply in the harvest they receive

   • They are generous in all ways with their time, talent and treasure and simply love giving

   • They enjoy being part of helping others succeed more than themselves

There are more High Road principles that can be found in John’s new book that will be available for purchase soon. I hope this adds value to you and blesses you as much as it has blessed me. 

Have a great week.

-Duane

Word of the Week - Biblical End time Events and Timeline - Prophecy part 3

“In that day, the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of His people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea.  He will raise a signal for the nations and will assemble the banished of Israel and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.”  Isaiah 11:10-12

In follow up to my “Word of the Week” on Prophecy part 1&2 – see below, this week I want to frame the significance of Hamas and Gaza as referenced in biblical prophecy.  This give more context to current events we are witnessing in Israel/Gaza with Hamas, and how they fit into God’s bigger plan as referenced in God’s word through the prophets.

Israel today stands as the End Times prophetic super-sign.  Biblical predictions for the last days all center on the Jewish people and nation.  As noted in Isaiah 11 above, God faithfully preserved a remnant of the Jewish people (Israel) through the centuries, which finally led to a miraculous 20th Century rebirth in 1948.  For almost two millennia, the Hebrew people were scattered around the world.  They have shown a remarkable ability to both survive and thrive through times of blessing and extreme persecution.  Ezekial 36: 24-28 also prophesy’s a latter day return of the Jewish people to the ancient Holy Land and the rebirth of the modern state of Israel, culminating in a spiritual restoration of the nation.  “I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land.  I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all the uncleanness, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.  And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you.  And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God”.

Gaza is mentioned in the Bible 20 times. The Gaza strip is at forefront of the war in Israel. The first biblical reference to Gaza is in Genesis 10, where it is described as part of the territory occupied by the Canaanites, who were the enemies of God and Israel.  “And the territory of the Canaanites extended from Sidon in the direction of Gerar as far as Gaza, and in the direction of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.” Genesis 10:19  Bible prophesy has lots to say about Gaza.  Four Old Testament Hebrew prophets to include Jeremiah, Amos, Zephaniah, and Zechariah warned Gaza of impending doom and judgement.  In Jeremiah 47, one of the Pharaohs of Egypt conquered Gaza.  This began a long, difficult relationship between Gaza and Egypt that continues to this day.  Currently Egypt has a blockade wall to prevent people from Gaza entering Egypt.  This blockade stems from the fact that Hamas, which currently rules Gaza, grew out of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt that was expelled by the Egyptian government.  So, the conflict between Egypt and Gaza seen in Jeremiah 47 still echoes today in strained relations.  “For Gaza shall be deserted, and Ashkelon shall become a desolation; Ashdod’s people shall be driven out at noon, and Ekron shall be uprooted.”  Zephaniah 2:4

The “Day of the Lord” refers to a time when God dramatically intervenes in human affairs to bring judgement or blessing.  It contrasts with ordinary human history when humans seem in control.  This concept appears frequently in Scripture.  But Zephaniah uniquely emphasizes the coming “Day of the Lord” when God will directly intervene to judge.   Because of the universal scope described, it is likely Zephaniah 2:4 is not the destruction of Gaza as a past event, but a future event.  Current events may foreshadow the coming judgement of Gaza prophesied by Zephaniah and other prophets.  The current Gaza conflict probably does not fulfill Zephaniah’s prophecy, because he foretells judgement coming on Gaza along with Jordan, Ethiopia, and Assyria/Iraq simultaneously in the future “Day of the Lord”.  Acts 8:25-26 talks about an angel of the Lord sent Philip to Gaza to share the good news.  Though judgement waits for Gaza, God loves the people of Gaza and desires for them to embrace Jesus before it is too late.  Jesus commands us to love both Israel and her neighbors, including Palestinians.  God’s heart is for all to repent and know Him.

Hamas - The name Hamas comes from an Arabic acronym meaning “Islamic Resistance Movement”.  In Hebrew, however, the word Hamas means violence or wrongdoing.  In Genesis, it says God saw the violence (Hamas) on the earth in Noah’s day and was grieved in His heart before sending the flood.  Jesus likened the end times to the days of Noah, indicating a rise in violence and terror like Hamas. Hamas was born in 1987 with the stated goal of destroying Israel.  It is, in fact, a violent terror proxy for Israel’s supreme enemy, Iran, and receives funding from Tehran.  The recent brutal atrocities and horrific war crimes committed unashamedly against all ages of Israeli civilians showcases the barbaric intent of Hamas.  Despite Hamas’s intentions, biblical prophecy gives believers confidence and assurance that these staged events will ultimately fail to destroy Israel or supersede God’s plan and purpose for all humanity.  Palestine will not replace Israel.  Islam will not spiritually eclipse the Jews before Christ return.  Evil will not outmaneuver God.

In God’s sovereignty, He is setting a chessboard exactly as the prophets foretold.  Anti-Israel sentiments continue erupting as hostile nations position themselves for a role in the final chapter.  God and those who stand with Him will overcome.  Though most Israelis do not accept Jesus, God is sovereign.  He has preserved and restored Israel to set the stage for His ultimate purposes.  Scripture foretells a national turning of the Jews to Christ.  In the meantime, as Christians we should support Israel and stand with her.  God keeps His promises completely in His timing. The existence of modern Israel is an act of God’s grace, not human merit.  Its prophetic significance remains intact.

Next week, I will try to connect the dots for how the current war in Israel sets the stage for the Gog and Magog invasion of Israel and many unfulfilled prophecies that will follow.

“When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:23

Be encouraged, we are victorious in Christ!!!!  Have a great week….

Thanks,

-Duane

Word of the Week - Biblical End time Events and Timeline - Prophecy part 2

“On that day, the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river of Euphrates”.  Genesis 15:18

In follow up to my “Word of the Week” on Prophecy – see below, I wanted to give more context to the history of Israel and it’s biblical significance. I am currently reading a book by Jimmy Evans titled “Whats next Israel – Gaza War”.  This book outlines the biblical history of Israel, from the time that God gave the land to Abraham, until recent events we are hearing about on the nightly news.  As followers of Christ, I think it is critical for us to have biblical context to the prophetic events that are unfolding.  My hope is to share some of these key prophecies over the next few weeks.  I will only be able to summarize and hit some of the highlights, so I encourage you to take time to do your own homework on these significant developments.

Significance of Israel and Jerusalem - Biblical prophecy is specifically connected to the existence and restoration of the Jewish people (God’s chosen people) to the land of Israel.  The nation of Israel is mentioned over 2,200 times in the Old Testament and over 70 times in the New Testament.  Jerusalem is referenced more than 800 times throughout scripture.  This heavy focus on Israel and Jerusalem reveals their immense prophetic significance in God’s eyes.  Many Bible scholars have described Israel as God’s prophetic clock.  Watching Israel today provides insight into the advancement of God’s redemptive plan.  The rebirth of modern-day Israel in 1948 and the recapture of Jerusalem in 1967 have set the prophetic clock moving towards the culmination of God’s plan and purpose, the return of Jesus to rule and reign as King from Jerusalem over Israel and all the earth.  The Lord almighty remains sovereign over human affairs despite the events we are witnessing.  God’s plans will be accomplished in His perfect timing.  “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father”. Matthew 24:36. 

God’s Promise to Israel – “Now the Lord said to Abrahm, “Go from your county and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.  And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” So Abrahm went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him.” Genesis 12:1-4  God supernaturally directs Abrahm (later renamed by God as Abraham) to leave his native country full of idol-worshipping pagans.  By faith, Abrahm follows God’s instructions to go to the Promised Land of Canaan, which is the same general location as Israel today.  “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance.  And he went out, not knowing where he was going.”  Hebrews 11:8 In Genesis 15, God solemnly enters into an everlasting, unconditional covenant with Abraham sealed by the passing between the halves of sacrificial animals according to the custom of sealing covenants.  “On that day, the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates” Genesis 15:18  In this covenant, God promised Abraham several things to include the coming of the messiah through Abraham’s lineage. 

The nation of Israel – God’s covenant with Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation, included land with specific defined boundaries outlined in Genesis 15:18.  Centuries later, God miraculously birthed the Jewish nation through Abrahm’s descendants Isaac, Jacob and then the 12 tribes of Israel after delivering them from 400 years of Egyptian bondage.  The books of Joshua and Judges record Israel’s conquest of Canaan.  God commanded them to rid the land of pagan peoples, but even though Israel had some success, they never completely drove them out or defeated them.  The people of Israel would continue to interact with the Canaanites for centuries while intermittently adopting their deities and falling into idol worship and all kinds of other perversions.  Today we see international organizations and other countries trying to convince Israel to concede some of their land for peace.  God laid out Israel’s boundaries in Genesis 15 to include the West Bank, Gaza, the Golan Heights, and Lebanon, Syria and a substantial portion of Iraq.  The Palestinians and other Arab nations may assert historical or political claims of the land, but they cannot make a biblical claim.  God gave it to Abraham and his descendants forever. “He is the Lord our God; His judgements are in all the earth.  He remembers His covenant forever, the word He commanded, for a thousand generations, the covenant that He made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac, which he confirmed to Jacob as a statue, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan as your portion for an inheritance” Psalm 105:7-11

Ongoing Enmity and Conflict – The long-running struggle between the Jews and Palestinians/Arabs traces back to 2000 BC in the rivalry between Isaac and Ishmael, both sons of Abraham.  According to the bible outlined in the book of Genesis, Ishmael was birthed illegitimately by Hagar, Sarah’s servant, while Isaac was conceived miraculously through Sarah and Abraham in old age.  God chose Isaac as the beloved and Ishmael and Hagar were cast out.  Their descendants have battled over the land ever since.  The long-running generational hostility has foreshadowed relationships between the offspring of Isaac (the Jewish people) versus Ishmael’s offspring (many Muslim Arab nations). Further, in Genesis 22, Abraham was instructed to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice on Mount Mariah, the site of today’s Temple Mount in Jerusalem.  Islam emerged with a competing narrative in 600AD asserting that the son taken up for sacrifice by Abraham was not Isaac but his half brother Ishmael.  This revisionist telling is attempting to disconnect the Temple Mount from Judaism’s origins and claim it instead for Islam, which came thousands of years later.  Therein lies the crux of the ideological clash over this sacred ground.

Jesus Wins - Though Jesus decisively defeated the powers of darkness on the cross, Satan continues his efforts to wipe out the Jewish people.  Why did the enemy not stop once Jesus completed His earthly mission on the cross?  It is because the Bible declares that Jesus is coming back again to finish fulfilling His messianic mission as both King and Redeemer of Israel, ushering in His literal thousand-year Millennial Reign from Jerusalem.  God deeply loves both Israel and the Church.  Satan opposes and despises whatever God cherishes.  This is sadly evident in the ongoing conflict in the Holy Land.  Just as God showed His unwavering compassion for Israel throughout the Old Testament, He retains a special affection for the Jewish people today.  Be encouraged, we know that God’s purpose for Israel will ultimately prevail, along with His plans for the Church.  “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Next week I will go deeper into how the current conflict in Israel sets the stage for many of the biblical prophecies yet to be fulfilled. 

I hope you had a blessed Thanksgiving, we surely have much to be Thankful for.

Thank you,

-Duane

Word of the Week - Abiding

Note:  I was serving this weekend at JH Outback, so I didn’t have the time I needed to put together the next installment on “Prophecy”.  I plan to send a few more “Word of the Week’s” on Prophecy in coming weeks.  This week I am sharing one of my go-to life messages on Abiding.  I did an abiding talk this weekend at Outback that prompted me to share this message..  If I would only share one message with my fellow believers, it would be this message.

“I am the vine you are the branches, if you abide in me, I will abide in you, and you will bare much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing” John 15:5 (Jesus)

I had the privilege of serving with my wife Amy and some great friends at the Birmingham Outback www.jhoutback.com this weekend.  JH Outback is an amazing family focused ministry that I love and highly recommend.  I was again reminded of what God has done in my life and my family over the past 22 years since I gave my life to Christ and began abiding.  For the first 33 years of my life, I was not abiding in Christ, and I cannot point to any spiritual fruit from that period of my life (nothing).  By the grace of God and being part of great ministries like JH Outback, Church of the Highlands, Heritage Forum, Highlands College and others, God has produced amazing spiritual fruit in my life, family, ministry, and business over the last 22 years.  There is no doubt in my mind that this is all God’s work and the byproduct abiding in the vine of Christ. 

Abiding in Christ - I truly believe that a daily abiding relationship with the Lord is the single most important thing we can do after we make a decision to follow Christ and receive the gift of salvation.  This is where our faith becomes active and we receive the power and benefits knowing God. The word Remain is used synonymously with Abide in several translations, simply put it means to stay connected and become one with the Lord.  What is interesting about this quote from Jesus, is how He makes it clear that there is a condition for us to stay connected to Him, we must go first and be the initiator/pursuer.  He says that if we Abide in Him, then He will Abide in us.  God wants to be our first priority. “Seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness and all things will be added unto you” Matthew 6:33  I am convinced that abiding is an active process that manifest in daily actions of pursuing the Lord, which allow us to respond in love to what Jesus did for us on the cross.  Abiding is not just an idea or a nice thought or feeling, it is truly a passionate pursuit to connect with the Lord and remain in ongoing relationship with Him. 

What it looks like to Abide - So what does it mean to Abide in the Vine of Christ and how do we actively connect with an invisible God.  Similar to connecting with another person in relationship, there is no one right way to abide in Christ, the biggest thing is that we make it a priority and daily pursuit. Here are a few examples of how we can abide/connect with Jesus: 

1) Prayer - talking with the Lord daily and intimately,  2) God’s Word / Bible -  reading or listening to the book He gave us that tells us about His very nature and what He cares about, 3) Praise & Worship – letting Him know how great He is and how much we appreciate what He has done for us, 4) Ministry - making a point to care about what He cares about by loving and serving others, 5) Evangelism / Discipleship - telling people about Him and how great He is, 6) Fellowship of believers - encouraging each other in our walk of faith, and 7) simply thinking about Him and meditating on who He is and who you are in Him.    

Fruit of Abiding in Christ - The best part of all of this is that the Lord blesses us with amazing fruit/blessings when we stay connected to Him in an abiding relationship.  These are fruits/gifts that we cannot manufacture for ourselves, they are simply a byproduct of His very nature at work within us.  They include but are not limited to: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control.  Who would not want these wonderful gifts that are the fruit of God’s spirit being produced in us so our lives become a blessing that produce Kingdom fruit.  “Therefor by your fruits you will know them”.  Matthew 7:20  The spiritual fruit of our lives is truly the evidence of God power at work within us. 

“God will do immeasurably more than you can ever ask or imagine, in and through you, by His power at work within you” Ephesians 3:20 but this only happens if you remain connected to the vine of Christ.

For His Glory,

-Duane