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Our nation is awash in a debate about justice. According to Trump, he is immune from legal consequences that others face. What sets it apart from the prevailing view on local laws, rules, and regulations? Parents set rules for their children but function as if they are not bound by those rules. Students interpret school or classroom rules in a similar way. Christians are not immune to God’s judgement just because they are on His team.

Jesus told a parable in Matthew 24:14-30 about a businessman with employees. He makes a point to say in the narrative that before the businessman took a long trip; he gave an opportunity to three employees to use their ingenuity to increase his money. He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the third. When he returned from his trip, he called his employees in to report on the money He invested in them. We can see Jesus’ punch line in the allegory when He told how the third worker had buried the silver entrusted to him. He told his boss; I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. Instead of obeying his boss’s instruction, he separated himself from the other two and defended his independent attitude. Isn’t that what so many of us do, think we have a better idea, then defend our defiance?

Jesus said, seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33 (ESV). Are those the words of “a hard man” or of a loving Master who will not deprive me of anything He has designed for me? Perspective is absolutely crucial to the ideas I have. Everything rises or falls based on my attitude about God. My attitude towards Him decides my love and service for Him.

If I perceive God as hard, deceiving myself will lead to sad consequences. Ultimately, I perceive my service for Him as a thankless task, an unfair bondage, and an uncompensated duty. In this allegory, Jesus commanded his other employees to deal with this disrespectful employee in a far worse manner. He told them, Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will weep and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 25:30, NLT2). This deserves serious thought. The sad outcome was a result of mental lies he held in his mind and heart about God.

Peter was pushing the envelope when he virtually insulted Jesus by saying, we’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get (Matthew 19:27, NLT2)? That exposed a doubt in Peter’s mind and heart as to whether he would be rewarded for his work! That was close to calling Jesus a harsh man. Let’s be real. We say we believe in God’s love and fairness; yet don’t we also treat Him as a harsh man by questioning why He allows bad things to happen to us? Thoughts pop into our heads whether He will really take care of us or intervene in what we see to be a crisis. It is like we are contradictory or double-minded Christians.

Tears do come to my eyes as I contemplate the possibility of my wonderful wife graduating into Heaven. But neither Connie nor I question His love and wisdom. I take solace in verses like this. God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do (Hebrews 6:10, NLT2). He faithfully brought us through very dark times, and He won’t change now. I don’t know what you are facing, but I know He will not forget you giving your all to love Him and His kingdom.

Tattoos represent a variety of meanings. They could signify a spiritual ideal, cultural belonging, or a need for recognition. Whether it’s for art, beauty, memories, or connections, they all blur together a symbols on the body’s surface.

Scars can also be on the body, although they are normally a sign of a painful wound or surgery. My scars from an open-heart surgery were not desired but necessary. There are also scars on a person’s heart or mind resulting from an exceptionally traumatic experience. These scars almost always subconsciously dramatically change how a person responds or the trajectory of one’s life. When this is the case, it grants a new level of respect for that person and what they say.

Despite writing many books in the New Testament and achieving great things, the apostle Paul faced challenges to his authority and authenticity. What means did he use to authenticate his unwavering commitment to Christ? In closing his letter to the Galatians, he wrote, from now on, don’t let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus (Galatians 6:17, NLT2). If his sufferings for Christ could not convince them, nothing could. He finished his letter to the believers at Colossae with these words: HERE IS MY GREETING IN MY OWN HANDWRITING—PAUL. Remember my chains (Colossians 4:18, NLT2). His references to his sufferings were not pleas for sympathy; they were his claims to authority, the guarantees of his right to speak and be heard. It is as if he said, “This letter is not from someone who does not know what an apprentice to Christ means. Nor is it from someone who is asking others to do what he is not prepared to do himself. He has left us many memorials of his devotion to Christ—letters, travels, sermons, miracles—but he left nothing greater than his chains, the symbol of his sufferings, for Christ’s sake.

This is the Paul who wrote these profound and telling words. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified (past tense) the flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24, ESV). It is true Christ was crucified for each of us, but the cross wasn’t just something Jesus did for us; it’s also something we do with him. Paul also wrote of his personal involvement by writing I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20, ESV). When we humbly surrender our independence and entitlement mentality to follow Christ, God’s Spirit alters our thinking and desires. This alteration is as profound as the effects of a trauma. When prophetically describing salvation, Ezekiel wrote God’s inspired words, I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations (Ezekiel 36:27, NLT2). That change in desires is nothing short of a miracle. Paul wrote it this way. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him (Philippians 2:13, NLT2). That is far more than the effects of glibly saying a prayer! It changes one’s life trajectory when a prayer reflects the conviction of the heart.

This begs the question each of us must ask ourselves. Is my commitment to Christ more like a tattoo or does it actively reflect a scar in my heart? Is there enough evidence of my commitment to Christ that those around me sense some form of a traumatic spiritual experience has changed me? When such evidence reflects a hope to help another person respect or desire a deeper relationship with Christ, the joy and fulfillment are beyond description.

Alone was a TV series that placed 10 individuals in a wilderness miles apart from each other. The one who stayed the longest received $500,000. Each contestant confidently believed they could survive alone with very limited resources. But after 48-72 hours of staring reality in the face, they had to admit their belief about themselves had only been a lie. Reality is what you eventually run into when you are wrong. Truth survives time, proving it alone is dependable.

Reality TV shows are appealing because they give the illusion of what is authentic or real. Can it be authentic when the producer selects episodes and idealistic settings that will appear authentic to draw viewers? Are those real happenings you have or see around you or are they just entertaining shows? It is sobering to consider how much of what we see or hear through the media, business, classroom, church, or friends will withstand the test of time. The widespread social acceptance of an idea or behavior does not make it true or lead to mental, emotional health or strong and honorable moral character. In fact, history has repeatedly shown that the majority opinion is not always right. Crowds are often more foolish than wise.

Testing seasons are a part of every family’s journey. We are in the middle of one now. Some matters are private and managed accordingly, while others have a more public nature. When pastoring, we went through a more public one. I knew leading with personal integrity required me to be transparent with our church members. After sharing our painful situation, as the members were going out the door, a leader said to me, “Now I can relate to you better. Thank you for being transparent.”  Of course, each of us must show great discretion when being transparent, but hiding behind a righteous mask leads other to mock Christianity. This lack of integrity ends up disillusions people when being transparent attracts them. To live like Jesus, we must be transparent so others can see that living a Christ-like life is possible. They need to see how we manage our mistakes with righteous integrity. How? By totally submitting the control of our life to Christ the King, He empowers us with Him love, power and wisdom to live in such a way that allows others to see living a Christian life is doable.

This does not mean living out reality will not include failures. To think it means living a perfect life would be to live out a lie. The Bible is very clear that believers will not always respond in a perfectly Christ-like way. The most important part of living a Christian life is not to be sinless! Rather, it is to be honest and transparent after he or she has made a mistake. The world needs to see and hear genuine humble repentance as much as see our sincere efforts to be set-apart from our culture and to our Lord Jesus Christ. Both are vital parts of reality in contrast to showmanship or entertainment that has brought sad disgrace to true Christianity.

That reality TV attracts so many, it confirms that our culture longs to see transparency, authenticity and reality. Is your faith in Christ transparent to those around you when you go through hardships, failures, as well as victories, and successes? That is the attractive part of the video series The Chosen. It shows the conflicts, the failures, as well as the thrills, excitement—the reality of living a Christian life. Jesus said, If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven (Matthew 5:15-16, MSG)

Was Jesus a persuader? That depends on the definition of a persuader. Salespersons are persuaders, but their techniques can be very different. In one case, the product being sold is the persuader. In another case, the salesperson must use his or her personality or other techniques, even deceit, to manipulate the potential buyer into making the purchase. I find it repulsive when stores advertise an item for a good price but when a person attempts to purchase it; the store has certain strings attached, like making added purchases over a certain price.

When considering Jesus’ preaching and the miracles the Holy Spirit used to attract people to Him, you find that He never used pressure or perverse manipulating techniques to make converts. He called the twelve disciples, not by offering them security, a signing bonus, or a threat of any sort. Rather, He simply did whatever He saw or heard His Father in Heaven do, which may have involved a miracle, then invited them to come and follow Him. Keep in mind, He explained, I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does (John 5:19, NLT2). A real-time street witness of what Jesus said and did chides the religious leaders by saying if this man did not come from God, he would be unable to do anything (John 9:33, BBE). On other occasions when asked a hard, loaded-question, He simply turned tables on them and asked them a question that so exposed their subjective, evil attitude they refused to answer Him. Never did He defend Himself by using emotionally driven, manipulating appeals. Instead, He simply made a truthful and righteous statement and left them to decide.

We often justify our efforts of using persuasive speech by retorting that Jesus was divine and we are human. Indeed, He was divine, but also fully human. Paul wrote that instead of playing His deity card, he gave up (laid aside, refused to use) his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form. Philippians 2:7, NLT2). Without using human persuasive techniques, He left it to the Holy Spirit to bring the person to a decision. He limited Himself to human boundaries and provision by simply presenting the facts. Since His time on earth, the same Holy Spirit who inspired, counseled, guided and worked miracles through Jesus will continue to do His supernatural work.

As apprentices of Jesus, we must also be careful to not usurp the role of the Holy Spirit and substitute Madison Avenues manipulative techniques to persuade people to follow Jesus. We must restrict ourselves to report to others the Good News of Jesus Christ; the rest is up to God. Yes, the Holy Spirit may use us to say or do divine things as Jesus did. However, we must be very careful to do and say only what we see or hear the Spirit is guiding us to do or say—and then give Him praise and glory when people are persuaded to become believers.

In 1968, I still remember trying to use my human efforts to persuade our neighbors to become believers. The immediate, deeply troubling within was chilling. Paul explains, the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death (2 Corinthians 7:10, NLT2). Only the Holy Spirit can be the persuader! Our assignment is to surrender to His guidance in following up on what He has already done. Embracing this truth can minimize the weight we put on ourselves to make disciples. But we MUST take the initiative to do our part.

How do you feel when you sense you’re being manipulated? Connie recently received an email saying someone had hacked her Apple account number and used it to buy a $26 movie on our credit card. Last year, a con artist bilked my sister out of more than $1000! My blood pressure elevates whenever I sense someone is using deceit on me or I see it happening to others.

But wait! How is that so different from a parent bribing their kids to get them to do good instead of evil? Is it all that different when teachers or preachers use setup situations in their communications to communicate a lesson? I have often wrestled with defining manipulation.

Manipulation is repulsive, and no one likes it. But could there be a very fine line between using discretion in order to get them to be a better person and manipulation that is done for selfish gain? The operative difference lies in the why—the motivations for what is done. Jesus used discretion to speak to the woman at the well and parables to open people’s minds to hear the truth so they could be set free or to live a more abundant life. Never was it for His personal gain.

In contrast, Jacob, a Bible character, manipulated his father in order to steal his brother’s inheritance. Eventually, God dealt with that character flaw using discretion to position Jacob for a crisis moment that would change the trajectory of his future. During that crisis, the angel of the Lord wrestled with Jacob until he admitted his name was Jacob, which meant schemer or trickster (Genesis 32:27 AMP). This admission ended with God changing Jacob’s name to Israel (Genesis 32:28). God also left him with a limp as a permanent reminder of his transformation.

Prov. 11:1 reads, “God detests the use of dishonest scales, but he delights in accurate weights.”    We get that because we know He is Truth and loves Truth. Furthermore, using dishonest scales is clearly for personal gain. Let us dive deeper into this. In the sermon on the mount, when Jesus was teaching how God will provide for us, He uses a metaphor pointing out how stunningly God provides for the grass in the fields. He then says, “how much more” (Mt. 6:30) will God cloth or supply our needs? It is an insult to God’s desire to provide for us when we use any form of manipulation, or any form of dishonest scales, to get what we think we want.

In that context, God hates manipulation because it is man’s way of trying to bypass God’s desires to provide for His children. What ways of our culture have you attempted in order to gain success when God does not seem to give you what you want when you want it? How well did that work out for Abraham? (Genesis 16:1-4) Have you tried to fast track things by using shame, fear, lies, or appealing to someone’s hunger for success, or using lust of some sort to get what you want? If so, do those ways sound like God’s ways of working with others, or Satan’s?

Being discontent with your current conditions, then trying to better yourself by using creative manipulation, is NOT the answer! Red Alert!! The father of lies, Satan, is trying to manipulate you just as he did Eve and Jesus in the desert. Get a grip! Jesus came that you could have an abundant life, but you must trust Him and wait for Him to provide it in His time and ways. Devious people are disgusting to the LORD, but he is delighted with those whose ways are innocent. Proverbs 11:20 (GW)

I will never forget going into a small classroom that doubled as a prayer room and kneeling near a pew there. What made it so memorable to me was what happened to me that Sunday morning.

I was a sophomore in Bible college wrestling with a variety of issues. The most pronounced was that being at this college was going against so much of what I wanted to do. I had vowed multiple times when in high school I would never be a pastor! … never! I attended this college because my dad requested me to go to Bible college for one year before transferring to a college that would prepare me to be a businessman, accountant, or counselor.

As I was driving off the campus my freshman year, a friend stopped me and said “Congratulations on your scholarship!” I was shocked. You see, in my first year I worked 60 hours a week pumping gas and doing minor mechanic work on cars to pay my way through college. That had taken all my money, so I did not have money to go to another college. Since the scholarship would pretty much pay for another year at college, I decided I would return to this college but continue to take only basic transferable classes.

Kneeling, I intuitively sensed God calling me to be a minister! I told Him I would obey, BUT I would only be a music and youth pastor. I’m sure God got a good chuckle out of that! My journey from that point on was like Abraham’s when God called him to leave his homeland but did not tell him where to go! He simply had to follow God’s leading. (Hebrews 11:8)

I was a slow learner because from that point on, I continued to be called to go deeper and deeper into occupational ministry and pushing back hard on that call each time. But God was merciful despite me. He graciously taught me and used how he had shaped me. Ironically, in 2020, I felt released from my calling so I could retire. Little did Connie and I know the retirement path ahead of us would consist of years of battling with Connie’s incurable, unique and lethal version of Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). The only thing we recognize in this journey is we again are on a trip, like Abraham, where we do not know where we are going. The only thing we know is God knows what He is doing in us and through us.

We’ve discovered God does not always tell you what He is going to do; He reveals to you Who He is. We believe in a miracle-working God and have learned through it all to surrender to Him until we will not be surprised at anything He does. This is a new level of faith for us. We, especially Connie, feel a variety of debilitating pain, but we enjoy a deep level of God’s peace within us.

Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One Who is leading. It is a life of faith, not of intellect and reason, but a life of knowing Who makes us “go.” The root of faith is the knowledge of a Person, and one of the biggest challenges is the idea that God is sure to lead us to victory. It is about something infinitely beyond the purification of faith. It is about being tried and proven, resulting in the faith the three Hebrew children had in Daniel 3:18. Their faith was not focused on God intervening. It was focused on the character of God. His ways may or may not be preferable to us, but they will always be right as well as best for all involved.

If your path is confusing, look beyond what you can imagine and upon who is leading you.

I grew up in one of multiple ‘holiness’ church groups. These fellowships championed a variety of extreme ideas. The group I was part of ranked somewhere in the middle. The negative reputation of the Biblical term “holy” was a consequence of some of their extreme behaviors and beliefs. Today’s culture, with its strong emphasis on individuality, independence, and self-centered ambition, finds these extremes especially repulsive. Holiness is rarely taught in religious settings, literature, or study groups nowadays, which is not surprising. Why is it that the Bible is so explicit about God’s demand for us to lead a holy life? Is God really that outdated? I’ve been driven by curiosity to investigate what the Bible truly says about this.

While Scripture frequently refers to being holy, the apostle Peter writes it most explicitly. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. 1 Peter 1:15 (NLT2) Grammatically, this is God’s command, not an ideal for us to consider. The context of the verse offers the best commentary on what this verse is really saying. First, it says we must define the term holy in the context of God’s holiness, not our fabrication of it. Second, it contrasted holiness with how you used to live, satisfying your own desires or the passions of your former ignorance. This is not just about outward holiness but one’s inner being, in how they think, behave, and respond. How critical is this matter? The Bible also says, make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness, no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14 (NIV) That makes our inner holiness all important. So, why does God insist on us being holy when it is so diametrically different from human nature? He does so because He created us and knows the essentials for us to experience the most abundant life possible. (John 10:10)

The word “holy” means to be separated or set apart from the ordinary and devoted to what is true and right in the long term—Bible truths. While some may view it as piety, piety implies outward conduct rather than inner belief. Because of God’s pure integrity, He prioritizes a heart totally committed to loving Him over empty words or behavior.

I’ve been exploring John Comer’s book Live No Lies—a very enlightening book!! In it, he defines a lie and truth. He stresses that life includes a constant personal battle with the practice of living lies in contrast to truths.

We are being barraged with lies supported by friends, the media, politicians, educators—and yes, ministers at church. Jesus and the New Testament writers repeatedly warned against lies or false teachers. The fact is the growing dysfunction we see these days is simply the fruit of the decades of lies our world has embraced. The challenge we face is to discern correctly between the truth and deception in what we see or hear. The encouraging part is, God is not as concerned about the lies we may innocently follow as He is with how we respond to the lie when His Spirit enlightens us with His truth. That is when the call to holiness becomes vividly clear.

If you prayerfully examined the driving force behind your decisions, how many of them may have been rooted in personal preference and how many from God’s Word? Understand, no church group is flawless in their set of doctrines, so relax. God is focused on your response to His truth once He has enlightened you? How have you been responding when the Spirit reveals His truth about holiness—a life separated from the common and devoted to His truths? A holy life is a most abundant life.

Have you ever gone on a blind date? It can be scary! My college friends tried to persuade me to go on a blind date with their visiting friend. I learned secondhand acquaintances are risky! How well you know someone makes a crucial difference. Knowing Jesus as a babe in a manger, teacher or healer is extremely different from knowing Him after an experience with Him.

I grew up in a clergyman’s family. Witnessing hundreds of people come and go in the church world, I’ve observed those who knew Christ in a natural way and those who came to know Him in a personal way. As with knowing other humans, there is an enormous difference between how they knew Him. Paul wrote of his own experience, …At one time, we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! (2 Corinthians 5:16b, NLT2). To know Christ “from a human point of view” means to know Him secondhand. At one time in Paul’s life, he hated those who followed Christ. In fact, he was on a mission to destroy them. But then, on a road to Damascus, he personally encountered Jesus. He was so blown away it radically changed the trajectory of his life. The difference between knowing about Jesus from what you have heard in church, classes or read about Him and knowing Jesus after engaging His presence is a difference maker.

Despite their three-year experience of living with Jesus, the disciples continued to lack faith in Him. They knew Jesus only in a natural way and scurried away when He was arrested. However, experiencing the Holy Spirit’s infilling solidified the credibility of Jesus’ words and actions. Their perspective of Him significantly shifted. Some people grow up in church, even in a pastor’s home, memorize Bible verses and listen to teaching about Jesus for years, but never truly meet Him personally. If their experience with Christ isn’t more intimate than emotionally experiencing the Christmas story or the Passion week, they are at high risk spiritually.

No one can afford to depend on their secondhand knowledge of Jesus Christ! If that is the extent of their knowledge, they will be like the seed sown on the paths, among the stones or thorns. (Luke 8:5-7) Salvation cannot be associated with the “me too” mentality. While it’s valuable to learn about Him through different methods, accurate knowledge comes from personal encounters and reflections on His Word. There is something indescribable about going through failures, tragedies or crisis and learning to lean on Him and His gentle assurances to you. Other believers can be a life-giving help to you. However, never allow any human to replace the direct teaching, the Holy Spirit will speak to a listening ear. After Paul encountered Jesus, he went out into the desert to be alone where the Spirit of Christ taught him for several years. This experience made Paul the stalwart man of God he was. You may not be able to go alone into a desert to learn from His Spirit, but He often teaches those who hunger and thirst after His righteousness in their daily quiet times with Him.

My prayer for you is that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of Him (Ephesians 1:17, b, AMP). Never settle for a secondhand acquaintance with our incredibly awe-inspiring God. And keep the relationship fresh. The more you experience Him, the more you will intimately know Him.

It doesn’t take a social analyst or historian to tell us our dysfunctional culture is like an out-of-control train headed for a disastrous accident. We can point our fingers and blame whoever we want, but flesh and blood cannot generate what we are seeing. If you examine scripture, what we are seeing is the fruit of what Jesus and New Testament writers warned regarding diabolic lies and self-deception 2,000 years ago. Paul described it well in his letter to the Romans.

God’s anger is revealed from heaven against all the sin and evil of the people whose evil ways prevent the truth from being known.  God punishes them, because what can be known about God is plain to them, for God himself made it plain.  Ever since God created the world, his invisible qualities, both his eternal power and his divine nature, have been clearly seen; they are perceived in the things that God has made. So those people have no excuse at all!  They know God, but they do not give him the honor that belongs to him, nor do they thank him. Instead, their thoughts have become complete nonsense, and their empty minds are filled with darkness.  They say they are wise, but they are fools; instead of worshipping the immortal God, they worship images made to look like mortal human beings or birds or animals or reptiles.  And so, God has given those people over to do the filthy things their hearts’ desire, and they do shameful things with each other.  They exchange the truth about God for a lie; they worship and serve what God has created instead of the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever! Amen.  Because they do this, God has given them over to shameful passions. Even the women pervert the natural use of their sex by unnatural acts.  In the same way, the men give up natural sexual relations with women and burn with passion for each other. Men do shameful things with each other, and as a result, they bring upon themselves the punishment they deserve for their wrongdoing.  Because those people refuse to keep in mind the true knowledge about God, he has given them over to corrupted minds, so that they do the things that they should not do.  They are filled with all kinds of wickedness, evil, greed, and vice; they are full of jealousy, murder, fighting, deceit, and malice. They gossip and speak evil of one another; they are hateful to God, insolent, proud, and boastful; they think of more ways to do evil; they disobey their parents; they have no conscience; they do not keep their promises, and they show no kindness or pity for others (Romans 1:18–31, GNB)

What we are now seeing is the long-term results of what man will do when God gives him over to their sin. Paul told the church at Corinth to do the same to the persistent, wicked man among them. (1 Cor.  5:5) You may think God will not let His children suffer the consequences of the sin of others. Careful here. When the early Jews stubbornly refused God’s persistent pleading through His prophets, He gave them over to their sin and allowed the Medes and Persians to march them off to Babylon. Daniel and 3 young, righteous Jewish men were among them. However, God promoted Daniel and walked with the 3 young Jews in the fire! Their selfless commitment influenced the king and the wise men under Daniel. He was the most likely person who influenced the wise men of his day to believe enough in God to motivate their offspring to travel to Bethlehem to find baby Jesus.

How then, should we live among those being judged? In short, we must do what Daniel and the 3 young Jews did while living among those under God’s judgement? They grew closer to God. When choosing the fiery furnace or bowing down before another god, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered, Your Majesty, we will not try to defend ourselves. If the God whom we serve is able to save us from the blazing furnace and from your power, then he will. But even if he doesn’t, Your Majesty may be sure that we will not worship your god, and we will not bow down to the gold statue that you have set up (Daniel 3:16-17, GNT). They were ‘all in’ regarding their faith and selfless obedience to God.

Surrounded by cultural sickness, we must not circle our wagons! Rather, like Daniel, be influencers by intensifying our efforts to hide God’s word in our hearts and seek to help others to do the same. Why? To prepare ourselves and others to be able to identify and resist Satan’s deceptive lies and stay true to our God. Allow God to position you to show others your sold-out faith in Him.

What is the greatest challenge you have been facing? Does that challenge provoke frustration or anticipation? Do you see it as your enemy or your friend? Our initial response to a serious provocation is to avoid or escape it. However, a far better response is to view it as an opportunity in which God can show Himself mighty. What has been your default response to your threatening challenges?

As with lightning, miracles occur when there is a massive voltage difference between need and supply. As long as we think we can figure out a way to overcome our problem, our need factor is low. Consequently, the probability of a supernatural intervention is low. Pride and self-sufficiency are enemies of God. A church mentioned in Revelation 3 said of themselves, I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing. But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. Revelation 3:17 (NIV) This is the polar opposite attitude of those for whom God does miracles. Consequently, God  promised He would spit them out of His mouth.

It is not enough to be a follower of God. I must become a friend of God. I must move beyond the point of simply using God as an insurance policy or a life preserver. Friends do not exploit each other, and I must never use my relationship with God as a handy ticket to success or an easy means out of a messy situation. These words of Jesus to His disciples were very revealing and provocative. I no longer call you slaves…now you are my friends (John 15:15, NLT2). They were no longer robotic servants; they were part-owners of His plans and purpose. But He also made it clear this transition was not automatic. Not all believers seek to become His friends. Only those who love God enough to abandon their self-interest can be made a friend. It must be clear to all that God’s purpose, vision, plans, and passions are mine as well.

I certainly have not arrived at the level of friendship with Him for which I so desire. I am just humbled and grateful that it has been growing within my wife and me. I now can see that when that friendship is at the core of my relationship with God, my awe of Him increases along with my faith or trust in Him being more personal than it ever has been. My varied insecurities are being replaced with a deep felt-NEED for an even more intimate friendship relationship with Him. My identity leans less and less on my knowledge, wisdom, or ingenuity, and more and more on my close friendship with Him.

Connie and I are currently facing a very tall mountain of a challenge. At this point, the medical profession can only offer what their limited knowledge tells them, which is an imminent death sentence. We are not cringing or being frustrated by it because we know He is the only one who has our days numbered. He alone is our Hope. Instead of angst, there is a sense of anticipation of how our friend, our God, is going to deal with this mountain. We are good with whichever way that might be. We only want our Friend to be glorified. We believe this is the posture that releases Him to respond in such a way that will most benefit Him, His kingdom, and each of us.

It is in this context; our challenge is not our enemy. It is an opportunity for Him to show His majesty, wisdom, love, grace, and truth. A Bible verse that has been my favorite for decades is what Moses asked of God. If it is true that you look favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favor. Exodus 33:13 (NLT2)