Notes of Faith February 26, 2023

Notes of Faith February 26, 2023

Fulfill Your Purpose

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” — Isaiah 6:8 NIV

Thinking, planning, and preparing are all well and good, but none of those things will actually fulfill your purpose. To do that you have to act. God doesn’t instruct us to overthink everything to death. He instructs us to obey. To hear His call, accept His instructions, and get to work.

In the parable of the two sons (Matthew 21:28-32), a father told each of his two sons to go work in his vineyard that day. The first son at first refused to work, but then he later changed his mind and went and did what his father asked of him. The second son promised to go, but then he never did the work he committed to doing. Jesus asked the crowd, “Which of the two did what his father wanted?” The answer, of course, was the first son. The second son said all the right things, but he never acted. Thinking about your purpose and making plans don’t count. When God calls us, He expects action.

You will always be able to find a good excuse not to act. After all, life is busy and complicated, and there will always be a lot of demands on your time. It is up to you to choose: to keep up with the demands and expectations of society or to obediently say yet to God. Even if, like the first son, you have said no to your purpose time and time again, it is not too late to change your mind and go do what your Father has asked of you.

Live Your Purpose

He has saved us and called us to a holy life — not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. — 2 Timothy 1:9 NIV

God called you to a holy, purposeful life with Him to fulfill His greater plan and purpose. There’s nothing you could have done or not done to earn such a distinction. It was given to you because of His grace and love. That is huge!

God is trusting you to do something for Him, to further His plans, to bring glory to His Kingdom. Not because He needs the help, but because He wants to do it with you. Can you think of a bigger honor? Even if you feel unprepared or scared or uncertain, it’s time to accept that trust and step into the purpose that He has prepared for you alone.

God has put His faith in you, so it’s time to put your faith in Him.

Trust that He knows exactly what He’s doing and answer His call.

When you think about God trusting you with a holy purpose, how does it make you feel?

What most inspires you to get going and act, even if you feel scared or unsure?

God has put His faith in you, so it’s time to put your faith in Him.

Chase Joy

So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.

— Ecclesiastes 8:15 NIV

Your purpose should not feel like a heavy burden or a drag. God created this purpose for you and you for this purpose. It’s a part of you, something important and fulfilling, just like your relationship with God.

If what you think is your purpose fills you with dread and feels like a chore, then that isn’t really your purpose. Your purpose, although it may be difficult or discouraging at times, should be joyful, meaningful work. Sometimes we can let our anxieties and stress overwhelm the joy. When that

happens, it’s time to pray and ask God to replace your worries with His peace so you can find that joy again.

What is holding you back from joy in your pursuit of your purpose? Why is it a stumbling block?

What brings you true joy in your purposeful work?

Keep Talking to God

I have not ever acted, and will not in the future act, on My own. I listen to the directions of the One who sent Me and act on these divine instructions. For this reason, My judgment is always fair and never self-serving. I’m committed to pursuing God’s agenda and not My own. — John 5:30 The Voice

There will always be times when things don’t go according to plan. No matter how long you’ve spent on the plans or how airtight they seem, you can’t control everything. Pursuing your purpose in the face of obstacles and detours will require you to be flexible, creative, and, most importantly, a prayer warrior.

When it’s time to change your plans, the best counsel you can receive is God’s.

Pray about your purpose every day. Keep God looped in about what you are learning, get His advice for overcoming the obstacles you encounter, and celebrate your success with Him. Keep talking to God and keep listening. He won’t ever steer you wrong.

Do you share everything with God? Or do you only come to Him when you have a problem?

How many times a week do you ask for God’s wisdom and instructions? Do you think that’s enough?

Excerpted from The Weekly Purpose Project, copyright Zondervan.

I look back on my life of God’s provision . . . my work life, my jobs, and can only wonder . . . Why? How did I get those particular jobs? Many were things I did not know much about when I started. Others I did not want, but they served to provide for my family. Currently, I serve as a pastor. How in the world did that happen?! I did not train, I did not desire, I did not seek to be a pastor. But what was happening in my life was a desire to hear and follow what God had planned for me. What I once thought I did not want became the greatest blessing I have ever experienced! The Lord will use us where He wants us, no matter what that might be in providing for our family. We can serve Him and others as we work. I had not really changed in love for God and people wherever He had me working. He was just preparing me for where He has me today and took care of me all along the way. I admit not being as happy in some of those jobs but the Spirit of God within kept my character from failing, doing my very best in whatever activity, relationships, and business that He had placed me. Let us trust that God has us exactly where He wants us . . . even when unemployed, I have been there too, and look forward and backward, trusting in His love and grace to lead us in every way.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith February 25, 2023

Notes of Faith February 25, 2023

Abraham

God promised Abraham would father many nations; he believed and obeyed. ~ Wendy Blight

Genesis 15

Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.

— Genesis 15:6

God met Abram at a time when he was doubting God’s promises. God saw Abram, came to him, and spoke great encouragement.

Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward. — Genesis 15:1

In his old age, Abram focused on the physical: what his eyes could see and what his mind could comprehend. God promised to make him into a great nation, but he had no children. God graciously reassured Abram that a son was coming.

He told Abram to look to the heavens and count the stars and said,

So shall your offspring be. — Genesis 15:5

Without any change of circumstances, Scripture says Abram believed the Lord. He believed God would do what He said He would do. That is faith. And God responded to Abram’s faith by crediting righteousness, right standing with God, as his reward.

Righteousness is an important word for us since it is said that we are counted righteous for believing in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 4:6-24; Romans 4:5:19; Romans 4:10). In both Greek and Hebrew, the word is full of meaning. Part of its meaning is doing what is right — that is, obedience to God, and doing justice in the world. The second part of its meaning, and just as important, is the connotation of having a legal right standing before a judge. Both of these meanings are inseparable from each other in the biblical sense of the word.

As with Noah, righteousness — or right standing with God — did not mean Abram was a sinless person. He simply trusted the Lord.

Read Romans 4:4-5. God’s Word says this same situation applies to all men and women who trust in the Lord. Describe what it means for you to place your trust in the Lord.

Reread Romans 4:4-5 and meditate on its meaning, jotting down your thoughts.

God’s ways have not changed over these thousands of years. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Trusting God at His Word… trusting His promises… will lead us to righteousness. The key is faith. Abram was renamed “Abraham” by God because of Abram’s faith to believe that God would make him the father of many nations (Genesis 17:5).

Faith doesn’t mean we never doubt or have questions.

In fact, Abraham immediately began asking God how the things He spoke of were possible (Genesis 15:8) and even laughed at other things God promised (Genesis 17:17). Have you ever doubted God, or asked God why difficult things happen? How were your questions or doubts answered?

God’s promises are eternal and unchangeable. They will not fail because God cannot fail.

We can believe the enemy or we can believe God.

We can succumb to lies or stand on Truth. In the garden, Adam and Eve chose to believe the lies of the enemy. Noah and Abram (Abraham), on the other hand, chose to believe the truths of God. Though, let us not forget, Noah and Abraham were not perfect. The times Noah and Abraham failed to follow God and misplaced their longings, God sent harsh consequences as a result.

We learned this week: Choosing lies and self-satisfaction leads to negative consequences. Choosing truth and humility leads to blessings and fulfillment. Why? Because when we choose to believe lies, we fall into the hands of the enemy. We hear the devil’s voice instead of God’s, so he determines who we are, our path, even our destiny.

When we trust ourselves, or others, over God, we risk moving so far from God that we forget His heart. His goodness. His love. We forget God’s commands are good. His purposes are good. He is good.

Trusting in and obeying God’s Word is where we find our true and lasting significance, satisfaction, and security.

Abraham lived this well. God had promised to make him into a great nation, yet Abraham found himself without children. How could God’s promise come to fruition with no heirs? Was God truly trustworthy?

Abraham cried out to God in discouragement. God came to Abraham and graciously reassured him a son was coming. He reminded Abraham of His promises. Scripture says Abraham believed the Lord… without any visible proof… without Sarah being pregnant. Abraham took God at His Word. He believed God would do what He said He would do.

This, my friend, is the essence of faith. God’s ways have not changed. God’s promises and purposes are eternal and unchangeable. They will not fail because God cannot fail. When the lies of the enemy — fear, doubt, anxiety, unbelief, discouragement — rush in, we must immediately take those thoughts captive. Captive to the Truth of God’s Word. The Truth of who we are as children of the One True God.

Read aloud the truth of who you are in Christ.

You are Loved. 1 John 3:1

You are Forgiven. 1 John 1:9

You are Redeemed. Ephesians 1:7

You are A New Creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17

You are Holy. Hebrews 10:10

You are Set Apart. Romans 8:30-39

You are A Temple of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17;

1 Corinthians 3:6:19-20

You are Made with Purpose. 1 Peter 2:9; 1 Peter 4:10

Now, pray and declare these truths over your heart and mind.

Abba Father, my Creator,

I praise You that I’m fearfully and wonderfully made. Thank You that I am forgiven and redeemed by the blood of Your Son, Jesus. Thank You that in and through the power of Your Holy Spirit, I am a new creation. Because of Your grace and mercy, I am Your hand-crafted masterpiece and You have good and perfect purposes for me.

Please grant me wisdom and discernment as I walk out that plan. Help me to discover who You’ve created me to be. Expose the lies of the enemy. Wash away anything You have not authored for my life. Protect me from the devil’s schemes. Give me eyes to see myself, not in the world’s eyes, but in Your eyes. Father, may I know deep in my heart that I am holy, created in Your image and set apart for Your purposes. Open my eyes to see my true beauty, a beauty that reflects Your heart, Your character, Your strength and Your dignity. Plant Your Truths deep in my heart. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and bless me all the days of my life.

I ask all this in the name of Your Son, Jesus. Amen.

Excerpted from 40 Days Through the Bible by Lysa TerKeurst and the Proverbs 31 Ministries Team, copyright Lysa TerKeurst and Proverbs 31 Ministries Team.

Trusting God when things are not going the way we want and hope for is difficult. We wonder if God is there for us, or God wants our best, when if we realize the love our Father has for us, we know that His plans and our circumstances are perfect! Let us strive to trust and follow the narrow path that God has laid before us, expecting His blessing and overflowing love.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith February 24, 2023

Notes of Faith February 24, 2023

You Are Never Alone

When you’re lost in the dark caverns of loneliness, it’s easy to believe that you are alone and will always be alone, that you will always strain your eyes looking for a glimmer of light. You can easily believe that your suffering is meaningless and that your pain will keep you isolated forever.

But that’s not the truth! God is always with you, and He is ready to comfort you.

When you are afflicted by loneliness, ponder these truths from Psalm 139:1-12:

You have searched me, LORD,

and You know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise;

You perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down;

You are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is on my tongue

You, LORD, know it completely.

You hem me in behind and before,

and You lay Your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Where can I flee from Your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, You are there;

if I make my bed in the depths, You are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there Your hand will guide me,

Your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me

and the light become night around me,”

even the darkness will not be dark to You;

the night will shine like the day,

for darkness is as light to you.

There’s a big word that’s used to describe this: omnipresent. Everywhere at one time. Isaiah 57:15 (ESV) says,

For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.’

See yourself in your darkest moments and see God there with you. He himself says that He dwells with those who are humble and brought low. He revives their spirits and their hearts.

Think about your life and imagine God with you in every moment and every place. See yourself far away from everything you know and everyone you love. See God holding you even there. See yourself in the darkest place, and see God there, too, unafraid of the dark, shining His light on you.

Sometimes children who have no siblings will invent an imaginary friend. They play with that friend, have conversations with that friend, go everywhere with that friend right by their side. Sometimes we can feel like God is an imaginary friend because we can’t see Him. We can’t feel His touch or hear His voice with our ears. It can begin to feel like He’s not really there.

But faith is the assurance of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).

Even when we don’t see God, He’s there.

Even when we don’t see God, He’s there.

Picture the trees blowing in the wind, their leaves fluttering and flying. You don’t see the wind, but you see the effects of the wind, so you know it’s there. We can’t physically see gravity, but we feel its effects every day, especially when you drop something breakable on a tile floor. You don’t think, “Oh, why did that happen?” You know it was because of gravitational pull.

The effects of God’s presence with you are seen in the peace He gives you when you turn to Him in prayer. They’re seen in the provision of nature that speaks His name. Psalm 19:1 tells us,

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.

Beauty, laughter, nature — all these things can remind you of the nearness of God.

When loneliness hits and you want to believe that you’re all alone, turn to the God who is near. His Spirit is living within you. Jesus Himself told His disciples,

And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever —the Spirit of truth. — John 14:16-17

You truly are never alone.

Excerpted from Cast Your Cares: A 40-Day Journey to Find Rest for Your Soul by Abide Christian Meditation.

Heb 13:5

"I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Matt 28:20

I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Rom 8:35

35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ?

Rom 8:37-39

37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Not even loneliness can separate us from the love of God!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith February 23, 2023

Notes of Faith February 23, 2023

When Your World Turns Against You

Get up, we must go. Look, here comes the man who has turned against Me.

The words were spoken of Judas. But they could have been spoken of anyone. They could have been spoken of John, Peter, James. They could have been spoken of Thomas, Andrew, Nathanael. They could have been spoken of the Roman soldiers, of the Jewish leaders. They could have been spoken of Pilate, of Herod, of Caiaphas. They could have been spoken of every person who praised Him last Sunday but abandoned Him tonight.

Everyone turned against Jesus that night. Everyone.

Judas did. What was your motive, Judas? Why did you do it? Were you trying to call His hand? Did you want the money? Were you seeking some attention?

And why, dear Judas, why did it have to be a kiss? You could have pointed. You could have just called His name. But you put your lips to His cheek and kissed. A snake kills with his mouth.

The people did. The crowd turned on Jesus. We wonder who was in the crowd. Who were the bystanders? Matthew just says they were people. Regular folks like you and me with bills to pay and kids to raise and jobs to do. Individually they never would have turned on Jesus, but collectively they wanted to kill Him. Even the instantaneous healing of an amputated ear didn’t sway them. They suffered from mob blindness. They blocked each other’s vision of Jesus.

The disciples did. “All of Jesus’ followers left Him and ran away.” Matthew must have written those words slowly. He was in that group. All the disciples were. Jesus told them they would scamper. They vowed they wouldn’t. But they did.

When the choice came between their skin and their friend, they chose to run. Oh, they stood for a while. Peter even pulled his sword, went for the neck, and got a lobe. But their courage was as fleeting as their feet. When they saw Jesus was going down, they got out.

The religious leaders did. Not surprising. Disappointing, though. They were the spiritual leaders of the nation. Men entrusted with the dispensing of goodness. Role models for the children. The pastors and Bible teachers of the community. “The leading priests and the whole Jewish council tried to find something false against Jesus so they could kill Him.” Paint that passage black with injustice. Paint the arrest green with jealousy. Paint that scene red with innocent blood.

And paint Peter in a corner. For that’s where he is. No place to go. Caught in his own mistake. Peter did exactly what he had said he wouldn’t do. He had promised fervently only hours before, “Everyone else may stumble in their faith because of you, but I will not!” I hope Peter was hungry, because he ate those words.

Everyone turned against Jesus. Though the kiss was planted by Judas, the betrayal was committed by all.

Every person took a step, but no one took a stand. As Jesus left the garden, He walked alone. The world had turned against Him.

He was betrayed.

Betray. The word is an eighth of an inch above betroth in the dictionary, but a world from betroth in life. It’s a weapon found only in the hands of one you love. Your enemy has no such tool, for only a friend can betray. Betrayal is mutiny. It’s a violation of a trust, an inside job.

Would that it were a stranger. Would that it were a random attack. Would that you were a victim of circumstances. But you aren’t. You are a victim of a friend.

A sandpaper kiss is placed on your cheek. A promise is made with fingers crossed. You look to your friends, and your friends don’t look back. You look to the system for justice – the system looks to you as a scapegoat.

You are betrayed. Bitten with a snake’s kiss. It’s more than rejection. Rejection opens a wound; betrayal pours the salt. It’s more than loneliness. Loneliness leaves you in the cold, betrayal closes the door. It’s more than mockery. Mockery plunges the knife; betrayal twists it. It’s more than an insult. An insult attacks your pride; betrayal breaks your heart.

As I search for betrayal’s synonyms, I keep seeing betrayal’s victims. That unsigned letter in yesterday’s mail, “My husband just told me he had an affair two years ago,” she wrote. “I feel so alone.” The phone call at home from the elderly woman whose drug-addicted son had taken her money. My friend in the Midwest who moved his family to take the promised job that never materialized. The single mother whose ex-husband brings his new girlfriend to her house when he comes to get the kids for the weekend. The seven-year-old girl infected with HIV. “I’m mad at my mother,” were her words.

Betrayal… when your world turns against you.

Betrayal… where there is opportunity for love, there is opportunity for hurt.

When all of earth turns against you, all of Heaven turns toward you.

When betrayal comes, what do you do? Get out? Get angry? Get even? You have to deal with it some way. Let’s see how Jesus dealt with it.

Begin by noticing how Jesus saw Judas. “Jesus answered, ‘Friend, do what you came to do.’”

Of all the names I would have chosen for Judas, it would not have been “friend.” What Judas did to Jesus was grossly unfair. There is no indication that Jesus ever mistreated Judas. There is no clue that Judas was ever left out or neglected. When, during the Last Supper, Jesus told the disciples that his betrayer sat at the table, they didn’t turn to one another and whisper, “It’s Judas. Jesus told us he would do this.”

They didn’t whisper it because Jesus never said it. He had known it. He had known what Judas would do, but He treated the betrayer as if he were faithful.

It’s even more unfair when you consider the betrayal was Judas’s idea. The religious leaders didn’t seek him; Judas sought them. “What will you pay me for giving Jesus to you?” he asked. The betrayal would have been more palatable had Judas been propositioned by the leaders, but he wasn’t. He propositioned them.

And Judas’s method… again, why did it have to be a kiss? And why did he have to call Him “Teacher”? That’s a title of respect. The incongruity of his words, deeds, and actions – I wouldn’t have called Judas “friend.” But that is exactly what Jesus called him. Why? Jesus could see something we can’t. Let me explain.

There was once a person in our world who brought Denalyn and me a lot of stress. She would call in the middle of the night. She was demanding and ruthless. She screamed at us in public. When she wanted something, she wanted it immediately, and she wanted it exclusively from us. But we never asked her to leave us alone. We never told her to bug someone else. We never tried to get even. After all, she was only a few months old.

It was easy for us to forgive our infant daughter’s behavior because we knew she didn’t know better.

Now, there is a world of difference between an innocent child and a deliberate Judas. But there is still a point to my story, and it is this: the way to handle a person’s behavior is to understand the cause of it. One way to deal with a person’s peculiarities is to try to understand why he or she is peculiar.

Jesus knew Judas had been seduced by a powerful foe. He was aware of the wiles of Satan’s whispers (He had just heard them Himself). He knew how hard it was for Judas to do what was right. He didn’t justify what Judas did. He didn’t minimize the deed. Nor did He release Judas from his choice. But He did look eye to eye with His betrayer and try to understand.

As long as you hate your enemy, a jail door is closed and a prisoner is taken. But when you try to understand and release your foe from your hatred, then the prisoner is released, and that prisoner is you.

Perhaps you don’t like that idea. Perhaps the thought of forgiveness is unrealistic. Perhaps the idea of trying to understand the Judases in our world is simply too gracious.

My response to you then is a question. What do you suggest? Will harboring the anger solve the problem? Will getting even remove the hurt? Does hatred do any good?

Again, I’m not minimizing your hurt or justifying their actions. But I am saying that justice won’t come this side of eternity. And demanding that your enemy get his or her share of pain will, in the process, be most painful to you.

May I gently but firmly remind you of something you know but may have forgotten?

Life is not fair.

That’s not pessimism; it’s fact. That’s not a complaint; it’s just the way things are. I don’t like it. Neither do you. We want life to be fair. Ever since the kid down the block got a bike and we didn’t, we’ve been saying the same thing, “That’s not fair.” But at some point someone needs to say to us, “Who ever told you life was going to be fair?” God didn’t. He didn’t say, “If you have many kinds of troubles”… He said, “When you have many kinds of troubles…”

Troubles are part of the package. Betrayals are part of our troubles. Don’t be surprised when betrayals come. Don’t look for fairness here — look instead where Jesus looked.

Jesus looked to the future. Read His words: “In the future you will see the Son of Man coming.”

While going through hell, Jesus kept His eyes on Heaven.

While surrounded by enemies He kept His mind on His Father. While abandoned on earth, He kept His heart on home. “In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of God, the Powerful One, and coming on clouds in the sky.”

“My Kingdom does not belong to this world,” Jesus told Pilate. “My Kingdom is from another place.”

Jesus took a long look into the homeland. Long enough to count His friends. “I could ask my Father and He would give me… twelve armies of angels.” And seeing them up there gave Him strength down here.

By the way, His friends are your friends. The Father’s loyalty to Jesus is the Father’s loyalty to you. When you feel betrayed, remember that. When you see the torches and feel the betrayer’s kiss, remember His words: “I will never leave you; I will never abandon you.”

When all of earth turns against you, all of Heaven turns toward you. To keep your balance in a crooked world, look at the mountains. Think of Home.

Excerpted from And the Angels Were Silent by Max Lucado, copyright Max Lucado.

It is hard for us to look at many things that happened to Jesus as if they happened to us and for us to respond in the way that Jesus did. But, the Father has promised every person that responds to the truth of the gospel and comes to faith in Jesus that He will make them like His Son. This too, is hard to believe, to see happening, as we so often fail to yield to the Spirit within us and do that which Jesus did. Let us trust our God, Father, Son, and Spirit to complete that which He has promised and look forward to our complete sanctification and becoming like Jesus!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith February 22, 2023

Notes of Faith February 22, 2023

How do we survive a culture drowning in a sea of lies?

Tim Moore: To help us navigate through all of the lies our culture has been throwing at us, we've asked Jeff Kinley of the Prophecy Pros Podcast to help us answer this question. Jeff understands the priority of prophecy in the Last Days and why Bible prophecy matters now more than ever.

Jeff Kinley: The Bible and truth matter now more than ever because we are swimming in an ocean of lies. Our culture is inundated with falsities. Our culture suffers from a great delusion in terms of what is real and true versus what is fake and a lie.

The Greek word for truth — alitheia — to the ancient Greeks equaled reality. So, to them, truth was something that was to be equated with what is real.

But, what we are doing now in our culture is redefining truth and reality. And so, because of that, we are departing far away from what the Bible defines as truth. Therefore, we need to calibrate people's minds back to the Scriptures which reveal God's truth.

Nathan Jones: If you've ever watched the TV show Stranger Things, it presents this alternative realm, what the characters call the Upside-Down. The Upside-Down is a mirror universe, though a very dark version of our own. Well, just in the last ten years or so, I feel like our society now lives in the Upside-Down, where evil is called good and good is called evil. Men can become women and women can become men. Men can now supposedly give birth. Oh, we are living in such crazy times!

Jeff, what's Satan's strategy behind this cultural shift into darkness?

Jeff Kinley: A couple of things. Number one, what we are experiencing is the cause-and-effect relationship due to mankind rejecting God. We can read about this in Romans 1 where the passage reveals that if we reject the truth of God as the Creator and His right to rule in our lives, then the Scripture says that our thoughts will become futile in our speculations and our hearts will become darkened. So, there's this natural cause and effect when it comes to rejecting the truth.

And, secondly, it has always been Satan's ambition to be worshipped. He wants to rule the world. All the way back to Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28, Satan boasted about how he wanted to be worshipped. We know that he will accomplish much of that during the coming era of the Antichrist. In our day, we are living in an age of deception which will quickly devolve into Satan forcing people to accept his Antichrist through a strong delusion, one I believe that the world is currently just falling under.

Steeling our Minds

Tim Moore: How can we steel our minds to know exactly what truth is and so not fall into deception?

Jeff Kinley: We have to calibrate our understanding by God's truth. Truth and God are never separated. God's truth is a reflection of who He is and His perfect character.

So, when Christians say they really want to know God, and they wish to be connected to Him and be spiritually intimate with Him, they've first got to know God's truth. A clarion call needs to be made today in the Christian Church to get back into the Bible. Pulpits need to get back into the Bible. Christians need to get back into their Bibles.

According to Barna's research, only 14% of Christians are reading their Bibles every day. That's indicative of where we are as a Church. When you think about it, if we didn't eat every day, after a time we would become physically weak. Well, that is what is happening to us spiritually.

So, my advice would be, the number one thing we can do to avoid being deceived is to become an expert in the truth of the Bible. In that way, we can guard ourselves against the lies of our culture.

Nathan Jones: We discover the truth by reading our Bibles because our Bibles are inspired by the Holy Spirit as Jesus Christ is "the way, the truth, and the life," as John 14:6 describes.

Jeff Kinley: Absolutely! Discernment begins by reading the Bible. When we read the Bible, it reads us back. Go and study your Bible, because the deeper you dig, the more spiritual gold you are going to mine.

Encourage Each Other

Tim Moore: The prophet Jeremiah wrote to the exiles living in Babylon a message of encouragement. Likewise, how can we encourage believers in Christ to commit to the Word of God and the Christian worldview in this era of deception?

Jeff Kinley: One of the important things we have to do as Christians is to stay connected with one another. Hebrews 10:25 says, "not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." Christians need to be encouraging each other. Sure, we can encourage our own hearts, for as King David in Psalm 130:5 said, "I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope." But, we also need the encouragement of others. Mutual encouragement goes a long way in living with hope during deceptive times.

It's also very encouraging to see other Christians taking a stand for Christ out there in the marketplace. They're living unapologetically for God, being bold, and being confident. Having a clear view of their own lives in Christ empowers the rest of us. It's almost like when you used to play sports. If you played with someone who performed a little bit better than you, that often made your game better. Being around Christians who are on fire for Christ can really up your A-game. Become that bold person. Be that kind of person who is living their A-game so that others will be attracted to Jesus Christ.

Tim Moore: As one of my favorite proverbs, Proverbs 27:17, concurs, "As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend."

Nathan Jones: To summarize what you advise then, Jeff, Christians need to stay connected with other believers. We need to be an encouragement to others and also let them encourage us back. There are to be no "lone wolf" Christians, so we should not forsake assembling together in church and in Bible studies and other fellowship groups. In doing so, we can best survive a culture drowning in a sea of lies.

I know that there will be some who disagree with today’s notes of faith, but this world is drowning in a sea of lies, being told that it is truth! This will take those who swallow the world’s lies down a path that leads to destruction and separation from God and punishment for all eternity. I pray that is not the road you take and that you join me in praying for all following the ideologies that lead us away from God. Pray for one another, read your Bible daily, and pursue intimacy with God!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith February 21, 2023

Notes of Faith February 21, 2023

What Is Holy Fear?

It’s impossible to define holy fear in a single sentence, paragraph, or chapter. It’s no different from attempting to explain the full breadth of God’s love in the same space. It will take chapters, and even then, we’ll be far from proficient in our understanding. In fact, I believe we’ll continue to discover the depths of both holy love and holy fear throughout eternity.

The fear of the Lord doesn’t drive us from God’s presence — rather just the opposite. A good and wonderful fear draws us close to Him, and laying this firm foundation is vital before we continue.

Some say that the fear of the Lord only means to reverently worship God. I’ve heard these very words spoken by well-known ministers from the pulpit, in conversations, and over a meal with leaders. While this definition is a start, it’s far from the complete picture. It could be compared to merely defining the love of God as being “patient and kind” (1 Corinthians 13:4). But if we leave it there, we fall short and miss the mark completely.

When Lisa and I were in our early forties, the son-in-law of a well-respected leader visited our house to share an opportunity to invest in his company. We met for a couple of hours, and I distinctly remember the kindness and patience he showed us. If you observed his behavior, you too would affirm he’s a loving man. However, after several days of prayer, Lisa and I didn’t feel led to invest. Now, years later, I’m glad we didn’t, because he spent many years in the penitentiary for running a massive Ponzi scheme.

Was the man patient and kind? Most definitely. Did he walk in love? Absolutely not. Why? Because Scripture tells us,

This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. — 1 John 5:3 NKJV

Stealing is selfish and breaks God’s commandment of love (Ephesians 4:28). A child molester can be kind, and even patient, while at the same time destroying a young person’s life. Does he love that child? Of course not!

In the same way, limiting holy fear to only reverent worship can cause us to miss the mark and be misled. So let’s draw up the outline, and later we will add the color with the teachings, examples from Scripture, and stories in the chapters ahead. Before we begin, I want to warn you that in defining holy fear you will hear words that could be frightening, but I assure you the opposite is true. Stay with the message through its entirety, and you will discover that holy fear is a gift of love and protection from our Creator, who deeply cares and longs for us.

There are many New Testament scriptures we can start with, but I believe this one sets the tone:

Therefore, since we are receiving a Kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire. — Hebrews 12:28–29 NKJV

If you look closely, you’ll observe there are two terms that are referenced: reverence and godly fear. This immediately shows that godly fear cannot be limited to only reverence; otherwise, the writer is just repeating himself with the second term. These are not only different words in English but also two different Greek words: aidṓs and eulábeia.

Reverence is an excellent translation of the first Greek word. The Complete Word Study Dictionary defines reverence as “profound adoring awed respect.”1 I love these four words joined together; stopping to ponder each one takes our understanding to another level!

The second term, godly fear, carries the meaning of awe. For awe’s definition I looked at the original 1828 edition of Noah Webster’s dictionary. Here’s what I found: “fear, dread inspired by something great and terrific; to strike with fear and reverence. To influence by fear, terror or respect.”2 Don’t be alarmed by the words dread and terror. Though the Greek dictionary also uses these words, remember, holy fear has a drawing, not a repulsive, effect. So we must ask: Is there a positive and healthy aspect of these words? I believe Scripture shows there is, and we’ll see this as we add the color later.

Let’s begin by listing our definitions.

To fear God is to reverence and be in complete awe of Him.

To fear God is to hallow Him. Hallow is defined as “to respect greatly.”

To fear God is to esteem, respect, honor, venerate, and adore Him above anyone or anything else.

To fear God is to give Him the praise, adoration, thanksgiving, and worship He deserves.

When we fear God, we take on His heart. We love what He loves, and we hate what He hates. (Notice it is not to “dislike” what He hates; rather, it is to “hate” what He hates.) What is important to Him becomes important to us. What is not so important to Him becomes not so important to us.

To fear God is to hate sin.

To fear God is to hate injustice.

To fear God is to depart from evil in every sense — thought, word, and action. It is to refrain from speaking deceitfully. It will not say or put on an appearance that is untrue to one’s heart and thoughts. It keeps our outward behavior congruent with our inward thoughts, motives, and beliefs.

To fear God is to walk in authentic humility before God and mankind.

To fear God is to give Him the praise, adoration, thanksgiving, and worship He deserves.

To fear God is to give Him all that belongs to Him.

To fear God is to tremble before Him in wonder and awe. It is to give His Word and presence our full attention.

To fear God is to obey Him. It’s not just a desire but an inward force determined to carry out His will, no matter the cost. We eagerly, willingly, and immediately obey — even if we don’t see a benefit or it doesn’t make sense — and we carry it out to completion.

To fear God is to abstain from any form of complaining, murmuring, or grumbling.

To fear God is to respect, honor, and submit to His direct and delegated authority. It is also to obey the delegated authority, with the only exception being if the authority tells us to sin.

The fear of the Lord shapes our intentions, thoughts, words, and actions.

Now let’s partially list the benefits of holy fear. Here are some of the many biblical promises made to those who walk in it.

The fear of the Lord is the starting place for an intimate relationship with God. We become His friends, and His secrets are made known to us.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. It gives foresight and clear divine direction.

The fear of the Lord is how we mature in our salvation and are conformed to the image of Jesus.

The fear of the Lord is clean; it produces true holiness in our lives.

To abide in the fear of the Lord is to secure an eternal legacy.

The fear of the Lord produces confidence, fearlessness, and security. It swallows up all other fears, including the fear of man.

The fear of the Lord gives us identity, makes us productive, and empowers us to multiply.

The fear of the Lord provides angelic assistance, fulfilled desires, enduring success, nobility, influence, longevity, productive days, enjoyment in life, happiness, pleasure in labor, healing for our body, and so much more.

The fear of the Lord endures forever — it will never fade. The fear of the Lord is a treasured gift from our heavenly Father.

Making It Personal

Passage:

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire. — Hebrews 12:28–29 NKJV

Point: The fear of the Lord is to love what God loves and to hate what God hates. What is important to Him becomes important to us. What is not so important to Him becomes not so important to us.

Ponder: What does it look like, practically, for me to esteem, respect, honor, venerate, and adore God above anyone or anything else?

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, please teach me how to fear Your name, Word, presence, and all You are. May I love and take pleasure in holy fear. Holy Spirit, as I continue this journey, teach and impart God’s ways in me; let what I read not merely be informational, but may the words transform my life into the image of my Lord Jesus Christ. I ask this all in Jesus’ name, amen.

Profession: May my words and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in God’s sight.

Excerpted from The Awe of God by John Bevere, copyright John P. Bevere.

I have not read this book but it sounds interesting and inspiring! Scripture tells us that the “fear of God” is the beginning of wisdom. We all want that! Let us draw close to the throne of grace and mercy and truly know our own definition of the fear of God!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith February 20, 2023

Notes of Faith February 20, 2023

Not Just Survival! Revival!

How To Experience Perpetual, Personal Revival

On a recent visit to New York City, I paused at the 9/11 Memorial, which is at the end of Fulton Street. Then I began walking down Fulton Street itself, which runs crosswise across lower Manhattan. I was looking for a monument, memorial, or historical plaque to indicate how that street changed American history long before the events of September 11, 2001. I didn’t find a monument there, and the thousands of people going back and forth on the sidewalks don’t have a clue. But I do know the story.

In the middle of the 1800s, a tailor named Jeremiah Lanphier moved to Manhattan and established a clothing business. He was a Christian and a sidewalk evangelist in the Wall Street district. On Wednesday, September 23, 1857, he invited people to drop by for prayer at a room on Fulton Street during their lunch hour. Six people showed up. The next week, twenty came. The next week, forty.

Soon churches all across New York overflowed with daily prayer meetings. Fire departments and police stations opened their facilities for prayer, and local businesses set aside rooms for employees to pray. The movement swept over the eastern seaboard and pushed westward into the nation. Citywide awakenings struck Cincinnati, Louisville, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, St. Louis, and innumerable smaller cities and towns.

From the United States, the revival spread to Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England. For two years, approximately 50,000 people a week came to Christ. Within a year of the start of the Fulton Street Prayer Meetings, over a million converts joined America’s churches, and thousands of existing church members were born again or revived in their faith.

The world needs another such awakening, and I pray every day for revival to sweep our country. Our problems are not primarily political, but spiritual; and the answers we need are not primarily political. We need another national and global revival.

Whether God unleashes a great geographical revival or not, I’m convinced you and I can enjoy perpetual, personal revival. Psalm 23:3 says,

He refreshes my soul.

Jesus said,

Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from with them. — John 7:38

When we experience personal, perpetual revival, our faith is revived, our love is stronger, our faces are more joyful, our enthusiasm is more contagious, and our individual ministries are empowered.

He refreshes my soul. - Psalm 23:3

When we experience personal, perpetual revival, our faith is revived, our love is stronger, our faces are more joyful, our enthusiasm is more contagious, and our individual ministries are empowered.

How, then, can we experience revival when everyone else is simply struggling for survival?

1. Pull all the ingredients of your life into the circle of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. This takes a determined decision, which is renewable daily. You can do this instantly, or you may want a bit of time to ponder its implications. God isn’t likely to bless what isn’t yielded to Him. Every morning I pray something like this, “Lord, I want You to be in control of every aspect of my life. My time. My habits. My money. My relationships. May they be under Your authority today.” Christians used to call this “full surrender.” The word “surrender” isn’t currently in vogue, but the spiritual concept has never been more needed. If some area of your life has slipped out of the circle of Christ’s Lordship, confess it as sin and, with His help, rein it back in.

2. Never miss a day without a personal closed-door appointment with God, allowing Him to speak to you through His Word and responding to Him in prayer. In a marriage, it’s hard to keep the romance alive if a couple never communicates. In our relationship with God, it’s hard to keep the revival burning if there’s no regular communication. I’m not sure why Christians have so much trouble maintaining their habits of personal devotional time, but Jesus told us to go into a private room, close the door, and meet with the Father (Matthew 6:6). Though everyone’s schedule is different, for the last 48 years I’ve been doing this every morning after breakfast. I open my Bible to where I left off the day before, underline and mark verses that speak to me, and talk to the Lord as if He were actually in the room — which He is!

3. Ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit, for Ephesians 5:18-19

be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

4. As you leave the secret room and go into your day, consciously remember the reality of God’s presence. He goes with you. A great missionary of yesteryear, George Brown of India, was known for his constant awareness of God’s nearness. When a friend asked him about it, he said, “Yes, God is nearer to me, consciously, than anyone in this room.” Train yourself to remember God is with you, near you, around you, within you—and that you have constant access to Him through Jesus Christ.

5. Let this show up on your face. Ecclesiastes 8:1 says,

A person’s wisdom brightens their faces and changes its hard appearance.

I realize we can’t always smile. Troubles and grief intrude, and we face moments requiring serious thought. But biblical joy isn’t an undependable electric circuit in a developing nation. The Bible says,

Rejoice in the Lord always. — Philippians 4:4

Even when we can’t control our emotions, we can chose our attitudes, trust God with our burdens, turn problems into prayers, and, as Charles Wesley said, “laugh at life’s impossibilities.”

None of this is easy, perfect, or quick for most of us. It’s a series of life patterns. But how vital for times like these! If our world is ever going to experience a series of global revivals, it’s got to begin in you and me.

We’ve got to find our way to Fulton Street.

Written for Devotionals Daily by Robert J. Morgan, author of 100 Bible Verses That Made America.

I pray for revival in my heart and in the hearts of all in America, a movement of godliness and hope. But I have not seen it happening where I live, work and play. Nevertheless, I continue to pray, trusting God for His will to be done, serving Him with all that He has given me… personal spiritual growth toward maturity in Christ can continue to happen even in the worst of circumstances. Let us pray for personal revival, American revival, world revival, but live and serve however God leads to complete His plans.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith February 19, 2023

Notes of Faith February 19, 2023

Growing Closer to God

I was once at a conference doing a question-and-answer session when someone asked, “How do you grow close to God?”

Great question. Possible answers swirled about in my mind. I ultimately answered, “By making the choice to deny ourselves something that is permissible but not beneficial. And making this intentional sacrifice for the sole purpose of growing closer to God. After all, Jesus Himself said,

If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me. — Luke 9:23 NASB

By way of example, I shared how I was intentionally sacrificing sugar and processed things that, once consumed, turn into sugar in my body. Yes, I was doing it to get healthy. But the deeper reason for choosing to purify myself was to help me grow closer to God.

My answer was real, vulnerable, and honest. Maybe a little too honest. The women in the audience gasped when I said I was in a season of sacrificing sugar. It wasn’t two seconds later that a conference attendee grabbed the audience microphone and blurted out, “Well, if Jesus called Himself the Bread of Life, I can’t see how sugar and processed carbs are bad at all!”

The audience erupted with laughter.

I forced a smile, but I felt smaller than a wart on the end of an ant’s nose.

They didn’t get it.

Or maybe I didn’t get it. Was I just a foolish, Jesus-chasing girl who mistakenly believed my desires to please Him with this food battle would somehow help me grow closer to Him?

Yes, I want to lose weight. But this journey really is about learning to tell myself no and make wiser choices daily. And somehow becoming a woman of self-discipline honors God and helps me live the godly characteristic of self-control, which is among the fruit of the Spirit (the evidence of God’s Spirit being in you) listed in Galatians 5:22–23. In the end, pursuing self-control does help my heart feel purer and closer to Jesus to receive what He wants for me each day... instead of clogged with guilty feelings about my poor choices.

But self-control is hard. We don’t like to deny ourselves. We don’t think it’s necessary. We make excuses and declare, “That’s nice for you, but I could never give that up.” And if we’re relying on ourselves, that’s true. But there’s another level to self-control that too few of us find.

Live by the Spirit!

Before the apostle Paul listed the fruit of the Spirit in his letter to the churches in Galatia, he described a power available to us that goes way beyond self-control:

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. — Galatians 5:16, emphasis added

In other words, live with the willingness to walk away when the Holy Spirit nudges you and says, “That food choice is permissible but not beneficial — so don’t eat it.”

Not sinful — please hear me on this.

Food isn’t sinful. But when food is what Satan holds up in front us and says, “You’ll never be free from this battle. You aren’t capable of self-control with food,” we must see that its inappropriate consumption can be his lure to draw our hearts into a place of defeat.

For others it will be sex outside marriage, the inappropriate consumption of alcohol, illegal drugs, or some other physical means.

The obvious question, then, is how can we tune in to these nudges of the Holy Spirit? How can we “live by the Spirit”?

First, we have to know where the Spirit is and what He gives us. If we know Jesus as our personal Savior, the Bible teaches that we have the Holy Spirit living in us (Romans 8:11), infusing our lives with power that is beyond what we could muster up on our own.

Now then, how do we live by this Spirit and heed His voice of wisdom and caution? Here’s what the apostle Paul said:

Let us keep in step with the Spirit. — Galatians 5:25

In other words, we read the Bible with the intention of practicing what we read while asking the Holy Spirit to direct us in knowing how to do this.

I often pray this prayer: “I need wisdom to make wise choices. I need insight to remember the words I’ve read in Scripture. I need power beyond what I can find on my own.” It’s not a magic prayer. I still have to make the choice to walk away from the source of my temptation.

And making that choice is sometimes really hard; I won’t deny that.

Like when I’m in line at Starbucks. The barista takes my coffee order and then waves her hand like an enticing wand, directing my attention to a case full of delights that make a girl’s taste buds dance. Seriously dance. Like the rumba, tango, and a snappy little quick step all in a row. My taste buds dance around while begging like a small child in the candy aisle.

“Would you like something to go with your coffee?” she asks.

Of course I’d like something — I’d like two or three somethings! And I’ll be completely honest, it’s in moments like these that I want to ask Eve to clarify one simple thing. Please tell me that something got lost in translation and what was really dangling from that tree limb all those years ago were treats like this. I’m just saying.

Anyhow. Like I said, it’s not easy. It’s not easy relying on the Holy Spirit to direct us into wise choices. It’s not easy to dare to actually live a life in which we put Scripture in action. Especially scriptures about self-control.

It’s not easy but it is possible.

Excerpted from I’ll Start Again Monday by Lysa TerKeurst, copyright Lysa TerKeurst.

Nothing is impossible with God! I too, need to walk with the spirit and deny self when it comes to food!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith February 18, 2023

Notes of Faith February 18, 2023

This is Love; He Did This Just for You

Oh, the things we do to give gifts to those we love.

But we don’t mind, do we? We would do it all again. Fact is, we do it all again. Every Christmas, every birthday, every so often we find ourselves in foreign territory. Grownups are in toy stores. Dads are in teen stores. Wives are in the hunting department, and husbands are in the purse department.

Not only do we enter unusual places, we do unusual things. We assemble bicycles at midnight. We hide the new tires with mag wheels under the stairs. One fellow I heard about rented a movie theater so he and his wife could see their wedding pictures on their anniversary.

And we’d do it all again. Having pressed the grapes of service, we drink life’s sweetest wine — the wine of giving. We are at our best when we are giving. In fact, we are most like God when we are giving.

Have you ever wondered why God gives so much? We could exist on far less. He could have left the world flat and gray; we wouldn’t have known the difference. But He didn’t.

He splashed orange in the sunrise and cast the sky in blue. And if you love to see geese as they gather, chances are you’ll see that too.

Did He have to make the squirrel’s tail furry? Was He obliged to make the birds sing? And the funny way that chickens scurry or the majesty of thunder when it rings?

Why give a flower fragrance? Why give food its taste? Could it be He loves to see that look upon your face?

If we give gifts to show our love, how much more would He? If we — speckled with foibles and greed — love to give gifts, how much more does God, pure and perfect God, enjoy giving gifts to us? Jesus asked,

If you hardhearted, sinful men know how to give good gifts to your children, won’t your Father in heaven even more certainly give good gifts to those who ask him for them? — Matthew 7:11 TLB

God’s gifts shed light on God’s heart, God’s good and generous heart. Jesus’ brother James tells us:

Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of Heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light. — James 1:17 MSG

Every gift reveals God’s love… but no gift reveals His love more than the gifts of the Cross. They came, not wrapped in paper, but in passion. Not placed around a tree, but a Cross. And not covered with ribbons, but sprinkled with blood.

Every gift reveals God’s love… but no gift reveals His love more than the gifts of the Cross.

The gifts of the Cross.

Much has been said about the gift of the Cross itself, but what of the other gifts? What of the nails, the crown of thorns? The garments taken by the soldiers? The garments given for the burial? Have you taken time to open these gifts?

He didn’t have to give them, you know. The only act, the only required act for our salvation was the shedding of blood, yet He did much more. So much more. Search the scene of the cross, and what do you find?

A wine-soaked sponge. A sign. Two crosses beside Christ. Divine gifts intended to stir that moment, that split second when your face will brighten, your eyes will widen, and God will hear you whisper, “You did this for me?”

The diadem of pain

which sliced your gentle face,

three spikes piercing flesh and wood

to hold you in your place.

The need for blood I understand.

Your sacrifice I embrace.

But the bitter sponge, the cutting spear,

the spit upon your face?

Did it have to be a Cross?

Did not a kinder death exist

than six hours hanging between life and death,

all spurred by a betrayer’s kiss?

“Oh, Father,” you pose,

heart-stilled at what could be,

“I’m sorry to ask, but I long to know,

did You do this for me?”

Dare we pray such a prayer? Dare we think such thoughts? Could it be that the hill of the Cross is rich with God’s gifts? Let’s examine them, shall we? Let’s unwrap these gifts of grace as if — or perhaps, indeed — for the first time. And as you touch them — as you feel the timber of the Cross and trace the braid of the crown and finger the point of the spike — pause and listen. Perchance you will hear Him whisper:

“I did it just for you.”

Excerpted from He Chose the Nails by Max Lucado, copyright Max Lucado.

Our God is much greater than we can imagine Him. His love is too deep for us to understand. And yet we often ignore His love and wander away from Him, seeking something that Satan tells us God is keeping from us. Oh, may we dwell in the deep, deep, love of God, provided all blessings in Christ and an inheritance waiting for us in heaven!

1 Cor 2:9

"No eye has seen,

no ear has heard,

no mind has conceived

what God has prepared for those who love him"

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith February 17, 2023

Notes of Faith February 17, 2023

Called to Who (Before Do)

Do you ever feel called to more?

We live in a culture of more — more promotions, money, square feet, clothes, vacations, followers. But have you noticed how even when you get more, you just want more?

Why?

Because that brand of more comes from our sin. While one of the many downsides of our fallen nature is to never be satisfied for long with what we have, God made us for a far more significant kind of more.

If you have ever felt called to more, it’s because you are called to more.

But the right kind of more. God uniquely created you, gave you gifts, set you apart, and called you:

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. — Ephesians 4:1 NLT

When most Christians hear that they are called, they tend to think about do, not who. They wonder what task, ministry, or job God might be calling them to. Or if God has a specific place for them to live. Some worry they might even miss their calling.

A calling is one way to discover our do. But we learn in the Bible that, as with our attempts to change, a calling focuses on who before do.

In Genesis 12:1, God tells Abram,

Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

Verse 4 states, “So Abram went, as the Lord had told him.” There was no do yet, only who!

In the Ephesians 4 verse, Paul says you have been called to what? A life. “You have been called,” so you should “lead a life worthy of your calling.” And check out 2 Timothy 1:9:

For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. — NLT

You are called not just to a life but to a holy life.

A calling focuses on who before do.

Yes, you are also called to a ministry, to a do, but that is secondary. Who comes before do. God has called you to a holy life, to be faithful to Him, to realize nothing else compares to “the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:8) and so to live, first and foremost, for Jesus.

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. — Colossians 3:17

What God would have us do and where God would have us go is secondary. Whatever God has you do, you do that for Jesus. Wherever God puts you, you serve Jesus. That’s your calling.

Your calling is more about who you are becoming than what you are doing. Let me repeat — your calling is more about who you are becoming than what you are doing. You are called not only to serve Jesus but also to become more and more like Him. The more is discovered in the becoming.

Another way to say this is you are called first to salvation, then to sanctification, then to serving. Sanctification and serving will then run parallel until Heaven. The two work hand in hand.

Here’s what that looked like for me: In college, I was an absolute mess and as far from God as you can imagine. Then my fraternity got in a lot of trouble. Mostly as a public relations move at first, I decided to start a Bible study.

I began to read the Bible, specifically the Gospels. As I read, I felt drawn to Jesus, so I kept reading. Finally getting to Paul’s letters, I came to a verse in Ephesians that says you are saved by grace, not by works. That spoke to me because I knew I could never be good enough for God. I felt Him inviting me to put my faith in Jesus, and I did. God called me to salvation. I responded.

I was now a Christian, but I had no idea what that really meant. True story: I had a fraternity brother in my fraternity who, unrelated to me, also became a Christian. We decided to celebrate by going out and getting drunk. We just didn’t know any better yet.

I was a Christian, but I was nothing like Christ. Gradually, I came to know Jesus more and what it meant for me to live like Him. With God’s help, I started to not only identify sin but also say no to it.

As I grew in maturity, I would take several steps forward and then a couple back. That ongoing process, which is still happening today, of letting God’s Word, empowered by God’s Spirit, conform me to the image of Christ was God’s calling to sanctification. I was responding.

Before long, I realized I was also called to serve. In fact, after experiencing salvation and beginning to be transformed through God’s sanctification process, I felt compelled to serve. I felt Him calling me to become a pastor. It made no sense to me or to anyone else — as confusing as John Wick becoming a monk or a mongrel becoming a poodle — but His call was undeniable. I knew I had to answer.

Your call to serve will look different from mine. You might volunteer with teenagers, start a ministry, sing in a worship band, edit videos, or teach kids, but the process will be the same. God will call you to salvation, then sanctification, then service. Why? Because who comes before do.

Excerpted from The Power to Change by Craig Groeschel, copyright Craig Groeschel.

Who are you? Are you called by God in Christ to be . . . God created you and has promised believers and followers of Jesus to make you like Him! How are you doing in the who department? Are you seeking to be like Jesus? There are basic things that you can do to be more like Jesus…reading, studying, meditating on His Word, your Bible, to know about Him. Then, praying, talking to Jesus about your life and how He wants to work in and through you. This intimacy will make you more like the One who gives you life and breath and wants you to be just like Him. Fervently seeking to be like Jesus will bring all other things into His perspective and you will do as He wants you to do. Blessings, joy, peace, and more will abound in your life as you seek the who before you do!

Pastor Dale