Anchored in His Presence!

Acts 27:29 Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.

Yesterday we read where Luke had written about the storm he and Paul went through. We read that Paul had some spiritual anchors that kept him grounded in his faith in Christ. It seems that every day we are given an update or change in what we should do in this pandemic. We desperately need some anchors to keep us stable in our walk with the Lord. We need to be anchored in Him so that we do not crash on the rocks of doubt and despair. I certainly do. The winds and waves of this virus has blown and battered everything we took for granted.

Yesterday I gave you the first anchor in Paul’s life that gave him confidence and peace in his storm. That anchor was God’s promise that he would go to Rome (Acts 27:24). He was not going to die in this storm but would take the Gospel to Italy.

Our second anchor is His presence. It also is found in Acts 27:22-25 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship. ²³  For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, ²⁴  Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. ²⁵  Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. Paul told his fellow shipmates that God was standing with him and them in this trial.

Remember what Jesus said in John 14:16-17 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; ¹⁷  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. Jesus said He would give us His Holy Spirit. He said He would be with us forever. He said He would dwell with you and in you. The only requirement for this was to be born again of His Spirit (John 3:3) by repenting (turning from) of our sin and receiving (turning to) Jesus as your Lord and Savior. We have His presence with us. Keep trusting and believing. He will not abandon us.

In Him,

Steve

Anchors in His Promises!

Acts 27:29 Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.

In this passage of scripture Luke recounts when he and Paul were caught in a storm on the Adriatic Sea. Luke wrote in Acts 27:20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away. The sailors were trying to stop the ship from being blown onto the rocks of the shoreline. They were depending on their human efforts to keep them safe. But Paul had some spiritual anchors that he was depending on to get him through the storm that controlled them.

We are in a storm with this virus that is affecting every area of our lives. It is battering every aspect of society, not only in this country, but it is the number one crisis in our world right now. How do we fight this unseen enemy? It’s bigger than you or I. It’s bigger than any government. Its tentacles are choking out all activities in our lives. But it is not bigger than our God.

For the next four days I want to give you a spiritual anchor each day. Its not an anchor a day to keep the devil away, but an anchor each day to keep us grounded in our faith. These are the same anchors Paul and Luke used to weather the storm they were in.

We find our first anchor in Acts 27:22-25 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship. ²³  For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, ²⁴  Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. ²⁵  Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. Paul had a promise from God that he was going to Rome. He was not going to die. He and all the others with him would survive.

We have many great and precious promises in His word. He will bring us through. He will provide for His children. He cares about His Church. Here’s just one to anchor your spirit in today. Romans 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Don’t be afraid, He’s got us in His hands. A word from God is a promise from God.

In Him,

Steve

Soak your Shield

In summing up his letter to the Ephesian Church Paul writes in Ephesians 6:16 “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”

From social media to the news media we have arrows being shot at us from all sides. And there are so many voices shouting and screaming at us we really don’t know what is true. Some of it I am sure is true. Some of it sadly is not. And a good deal of what we’re being told has a measure of truth in it. How do we stand when all these ‘fiery darts’ are being flung at us?

I have read that Roman Soldiers, whom Paul was alluding to in his letter, had shields that were covered with animal hide. Leather if you will. They would soak them in water before going into battle because the enemy would dip their arrows in a tar mixture before going to war. The tar mixture would be by its natural composition be loaded with bacteria. They would set the arrows aflame before they shot them. Which is what Paul is calling ‘fiery darts’. If an arrow did not kill you outright a small wound or burn would allow the bacteria to enter your body and set up an infection. They did not have antibiotics in those days so any flesh wound could eventually cause death by infection. The solution was to coat their shields in water so that the burning arrows would be extinguished when they hit the soldier’s shield.

Why am I sharing this? Because our enemies, (the world, the flesh, and the devil), are firing their arrows of fear, confusion, doubt, and despair at us right now. Our enemy Satan wants to paralyze us so that he might rob us of our peace and joy in Christ. Look back at our verse again. Paul says, ‘above all’. First and foremost, we must take up our shield of faith in Christ. Trusting Him in all of this. Listening to Him for the truth we must live by. Reading His word, praying, believing in His goodness. Sharing His salvation with others. When our focus is on Him our fear lifts like yesterday morning’s fog.

Soak your shield of faith in these verses. Psalm 27:13-14 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. ¹⁴  Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

In Him,

Steve

A Day of Trouble

There’s a verse in the Psalms that speaks to this day in which we live. It’s Psalm 46:1 says "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." The Psalmist proclaims that God is our shelter, our strength, our help in times like these. He is the one that we should look to not just in these difficult days, but really every day of our lives.

Have you ever been caught out in a storm? The lightning is flashing. The thunder is so loud that it seems to echo throughout your body. The rain is coming down almost like a waterfall upon you. And the wind is stripping away any defense that you have. Have you been there? I have.

Carolyn and I were caught out in a storm at Cherokee Park a few years ago. It came on us so fast that the only shelter we had was to hug a post on one of the small pavilions. We didn’t have time to get to the car, so we weathered the storm with both of us clinging to a post as the wind and rain slammed against us. The lightning and the thunder were deafening. Can I tell you I was praying? Fervently, unashamedly to my God and Savior! It didn’t last long, but it seemed like an eternity. Soon the flashes of lightning stopped and with it the rain and wind. We were soaked, cold, and in some ways trembling inwardly, if not outwardly when it was over. God watched over us and brought us through it. We did have to go through the wind, the rain, and hold on tightly to the post as the lightning flashed and thunder rumbled around us though.

We’re going through some tough times right now. A pandemic that is affecting every area of our lives is upon us. Its winds are blowing through our society right now. Its cold rain is beating upon every aspect of our lives. It’s flashes of lightning comes with every new announcement from our government, employers, and schools. Let's cling to our hope in God as the Psalmist did. Pray, cast all your care on Him. 1 Peter 5:7 says, ^“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” He will bring us through. Why? Because He is faithful. Trust Him today.

In Him,

Steve

We Need Each Other!

Hebrews 10:24-25  And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: ²⁵  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

We humans are social creatures. God created us that way. He created the family unit. He created the Church. We play better that way. No one likes to be by themselves. It’s called loneliness when we’re isolated. I think that’s why Jesus reassured us that He would never leave us nor forsake us.

But He tells us in this passage to stick together and now because of this virus we cannot for the time being. What do we do? How do we not forsake assembling together?

I spent a few minutes this morning wishing my daughter a Happy Birthday in Osaka, Japan. It was such a blessing to use Facetime and see her! The technology we have today is allowing us to stay in touch with each other. As you know, we are now using Facebook Live to stream our worship to everyone we can. We can text, talk, Skype, Facetime, and video chat with those in our Church family.

So make the call, try the new technologies if you haven’t already. Stay connected with your family, friends, and Church. For some of you that may require one of your family members to drag you kicking and screaming into this new world! It will be worth it.

Most of all remember He is with us. He gave us His Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us. To comfort us and challenge us to stay in His word. To pray to our Heavenly Father. Tell Him your sorrows, your concerns, and your joys. He loves us. Let’s continue to love on each other!

In Him,

Steve

What is God up to?

We saw yesterday that God is working all things together for good to them who love God and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). So what is He doing? How do we find our place in this eternal drama? Keep these things in mind as we seek to answer those questions.

Here are some answers to ponder.

One, He is working for our good. Two, He is moving within our trials to reveal Himself through our circumstances. People really want to know there is a God in Heaven and that He does love them. Three, He is making Himself known through the love and compassion of His people. Jesus does love everyone and wants them to know His love, mercy, and forgiveness. He wants us to tell them and show them through His truth and our actions.

Here are a few windows to look through in the days ahead.

1. Look for the anxious among us. You may be the comforting friend they need. Let them know Jesus loves them.

2. Look for those who need a helping hand. They may need some groceries, or an errand ran. Our elderly were brought up not to ask for help. Ask them what you can do to help. Maybe take a meal to them. Leave it on the doorstep and let them know it’s there.

3. Make some phone calls and check on our neighbors. We who are believers have our church family to connect with. They may not have anyone. Let them know they’re not alone. Most of all let them know Jesus has not forsaken them.

4. Ask someone if you can pray for them. You never know what pain and fear they are hiding in their hearts. Be willing to draw back the curtain over our own hearts that they might see we are all in this together.

Share with me and others what God is doing in and around you. I can’t wait to hear of His marvelous love!

In Him,

Steve

God has proven Himself

When we get into trying times we look for comfort and strength in His word. One of the most common verses we quote is Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. We see that God says even in the bad times He is working things out for our good and His purposes. So how do we ‘know’ as Paul says?

Remember Joseph? Sold into slavery by his brothers, falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife of a crime he didn’t commit. And cast into prison for it. Years go by as he waits and then God pulls him out of the prison to take care of His people. The greatest verse summing all this up is Genesis 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. We know because God brought good out of Joseph’s hardships.

Remember Daniel? Thrown into a den of hungry lions because he would not pray to the king but continued to petition his God. What did God do? He not only protected Daniel from the lions, he brought him out of that death trap and prompted the king to give the following decree. Daniel 6:26 says, “I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast forever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end”. God not only rescued Daniel, He demonstrated to the king that He was the one true God!

Oh, remember Jesus? Friday looked like the darkness hour of all. Arrested, falsely accused, mocked, beaten, crucified. His life ending and with it the hopes of all the Disciples. But three days later! He rose from the grave having defeated death. Having paid the price for our sin. And now He freely offers forgiveness and eternal life to all who will put their trust in Him! John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. 

Oh, we know He works ALL things for our good and His glory! He has proven it!

This world pandemic may seem like a hopeless situation but praise His name we have hope and a future that’s going to work out for our good and His purpose. Keep the faith. He is faithful! Tell somebody the ‘good news’!

In Him,

Steve

Trust is Proven in the Trials

Psalm 91:1-4  He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. ²  I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. ³  Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. ⁴  He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

Interesting the word ‘trust’. It gives the idea of ‘hope’, ‘sureness’, ‘confidence’. The root Hebrew word really means to ‘have hope’, ‘to have refuge’, to ‘have trust’. How do we know we are really trusting? That we are confident in our hope? That we completely taking refuge in Him? There’s only one sure way for us to know. Trust must be put to the test. God knows our hearts, but do know our own? We think we do, but when the tests and trials come, we really find out who or what we are really trusting in.

Did God send the Coronavirus? Only God knows that, but He will use this situation for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28). Here are some things to ask ourselves as we travel this unknown road.

1.  Do I have a confidence in Christ that He is going to take care of me as I travel this dark highway? Or am I nervous and fearful? He wants us to trust him. To make our refuge in Him. To place our hope in His loving care.

2. Can I believe that God will watch over my family with the different situations that we all are facing? Am I worried about them and what they are going through? Am I trusting Him to care for them as He does me? This is where I have the greatest difficulty. I like to say I’m concerned, but not worried. Is there really a difference? Am I really trusting Him?

3. Can I believe Jesus will bring His Church through this? I tweeted this out today. See if this is really where we’re at. I wrote (typed) “Christianity is not failing in our world today, it is being refined, purified, and refocused on our relationship with Christ!”.

He is going to bring us through! It may hurt, it may cause some suffering, but in the end it will be worth it all when we see Jesus, to use the words of the old song. Keep looking for the His rainbows in this storm, and as it passes. He has them there for us.

In Him,

Steve

Where Do We Go From Here?

Everybody is looking for answers to what we’re facing in our country right now. And as typical Americans we want the answer. NOW. Our problem is that no one seems to have that miracle solution. The CDC, our government, and others are giving us good advice and instructions, but again, they are giving direction, not answers.

As always, God’s word is the best place to find answers for the trials of this life. To give us all some quick guidance let’s look at some things from His word.

One, Jesus said these things would come. Matthew 24:7 says, “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places”. This hasn’t caught our Lord by surprise. He’s not wringing His hands thinking, oh no, what do I do now? He knows what we’re dealing with.

Secondly, since He is aware of this, He knows what we need to do and right now He wants us to trust Him. Psalm 62:8 says, “Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us.”.

Thirdly, wait on Him for the direction we need. Isaiah 26:3 says, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”

Colossians 3:15 says, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.”

I’m thankful I have a Savior who is watching over me. Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Believe in Him? Trust Him. Rest in Him. Follow His directions for your life. He will not desert you!

In Him,

Steve

Walking in God's Wisdom

God’s Wisdom is so vast it’s like standing on the beach and looking out over the ocean. It’s deep, wide, and we can’t see the end of it. So how do we break it down into bite sized chunks that we can digest? Or to put it this way, how can we live it day by day, and minute by minute? Never mind months or years right now.

Let me share with you a few things that help me to assimilate His wisdom into my daily walk.

·        Pray – pick at a specific time and place if you can. Pray as you go through the day. Pray when you wake up. Pray when you lie down. In other words, stay close to Him. He is there and wants to help us. ‘Help me today Lord Jesus’ is a great prayer to live by each day.

·        Pick a verse or verses that speak to your heart about this situation. Memorize it if you haven’t already. Write it down on a post-it note attached to your bathroom mirror. Post one on your desk or wherever you work so that it will be there if front of you to remind of His wisdom. Put in on the refrigerator. Attach one to the dash of your car to keep His word in your thoughts.

·        Think of others and their needs. Philippians 2:3-5 says “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. ⁴  Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. ⁵   Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” He cared so much for us that He was willing to die for us. Let’s think like He does. I can tell you it takes away a lot of pressure and stress.

Let’s keep our minds on Him. Let's keep our minds on others. That’s a great way to walk in His wisdom!

In Him,

Steve

What's the First Thing We Should Do?

Seems everyone has an answer or an opinion on how to respond to this Coronavirus Pandemic. We quickly begin to start analyzing the situation from the standpoint of our human reasoning. How, what, when, where, are all looked at using our eyes, our ears, our minds to decide what we should do. We consult the experts, read the latest internet posts, check our social media platforms, listen to what our government is telling us, talk it through with our friends and family, and then make some decisions on what to do, or what not to do.

I really think we need to start at the beginning. ‘In the beginning, God’ (Genesis 1:1). We need His wisdom. Proverbs 9:10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. We need Wisdom that comes from Him, and we find it in His word. That’s where all of us need to start.

Wisdom is seeing life from His perspective. It is knowing what to do and how to do it from His viewpoint. He wants to help us. He knows what we should do. He knows what we’re facing from the beginning to the end. He’s waiting for us to ask (James 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not (He doesn’t scold us); and it shall be given him.) Let’s start praying and asking Him to guide us. Look to His word and trust Him. I need to, we all need to. He’s got some rainbows in this storm. Let’s look for them.

In Him,

Steve

When We are Looking for Answers

With all the speculation, analysis, news updates, and confusion about the Coronavirus what do we as God’s people do? How should we react? Are there opportunities to reach those for Christ who do not have the hope and peace that we as believers possess? Where are the rainbows in this storm?

I’m going to be writing some thoughts going forward to help me, if not others, to keep my feet firmly planted in God’s truth. We all need some anchors in our lives to keep us from being swept away with this current of uncertainty. As this disease progresses it seems that most people will go from uncertainty, to anxiety, to fear, to outright panic if we don’t keep and share our faith in Christ. We need to throw out some anchors from His word to stop our lives from being battered on the rocks of this pandemic.

So my first focus this morning is found in 2 Chronicles 20:12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.

King Jehoshaphat was facing the invading armies of Moab, Ammon, and others that are not specifically mentioned by name. Notice Jehoshaphat’s plea. Please judge them (help us), they are so much stronger than us, we don’t know what to do, but we’re looking to you. You know what we need to do.

Let’s pray and focus on Him. Our God is bigger than any virus or any circumstance that arises because of this. Let’s look to Him today and everyday in the days ahead.

Steve