Hand to the Plow - December 28, 2014

Luke 9:62 - But Jesus said to him, “ No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Some people might say that a new year is inconsequential. Many folks make and break resolutions with impunity. Like many, I haven't always considered a new year as significant. However, the longer I walk with the Lord, the more I see the importance for new beginnings. I like to think of a new year as an opportunity to turn over the soil of my heart and to prepare the ground for new seed. Often, this is a new area of my heart where God wants to do an expansive work. In other cases, this is possibly where He has produced a crop but now He wants to plant something different. And, sometimes there are areas that may have once yielded fruit, but have gone fallow due to indifference or disobedience. I have found the best thing to do is not argue with God, thinking I know what's best. Without fail, when He plants what He desires, it always bears forth the fruit He has ordained. That is, as long as I'm obedient and continue to till the land of my heart as He desires.

The use of the plow and fallow ground are simply metaphors for allowing God to use His word to instruct us. While some smaller plows may be pushed by manpower, God's plow can not be pushed by human strength. It is an impossibility to push a plow creating deep furrows in order to sow God's seed. For the sake of this analogy, God provides a mule or a team of oxen---servants to mankind in order to pull the plow through the unbroken earth. The strength of these animals are illustrated by the strength of God and how He empowers his word to accomplish what He sends it forth to accomplish (Isaiah 55:11). However, without man's hand on the plow, God's word will often NOT be sent forth due to lack of faith to lead and guide it. By putting our hand to God's plow and obeying Him, we allow His word to go forth.

Once we put our hand to the plow, Jesus tells us we should never look back. We should understand that while our past has often shaped our present, we cannot allow it to dictate our future. Obedience that cuts a straight furrow through life would be terribly impeded if we were constantly looking back and worried about where he have been rather than where we are going. Paul, a confessed murderer and persecutor of the church tells us in Philippians 3:13 to forget what lies behind and reach forward to what lies ahead. We can do NOTHING about the past, but only make corrections for the future by the experiences acquired in our brief histories. While Jesus' admonition in Luke 17:22-37 refers to His second coming, it is still an important lesson for us to understand in regard to obedience. If we refuse to allow the anxieties of this life to pull us off course, then we will remain stalwart to keep looking ahead. In verse 32, Jesus says, "Remember Lot's wife," a sobering lesson on looking back once we have our put our hands to the proverbial plow (Genesis 19;26).

Time is significant, or God would not have created it. Therefore, it is important to regard new beginnings in time as God-ordained opportunities to start afresh. While man-made resolutions are to the most part useless, we can be assured that God patiently awaits for us to recommit to Him on our spiritual journey. Some of us have taken our hands off the plow and have allowed acres of "heartland" to become fallow. It is time to once again take hold of God's plow, the word of God, and walk steadily and determinably after Him. If we will follow the plow He has given us to guide, He will provide the strength to pull it along. Will we do this perfectly? None of us have, nor will any succeed except One. Jesus Christ will walk along side and coach us the entire length of God's field if we will but allow Him to do so. Before long, the soil of our hearts will be fertile once again to take the seed of God and bear fruit the way He desires. May we all put our hands to God's plow this year, never wavering as the Holy Spirit strengthens us and the Son of God guides our hands. May we all know the blessing of obeying Him in all things this coming year as we put our hands in His hands each and every day.

Heavenly Father, thank you for enabling us to obey You in all things. However, when we fail or take our hands off the plow You have ordained for each of us, may you patiently guide us once again to continue our journey, pressing on toward the goal of the upward call. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Longing for Messiah - December 21, 2014

Matthew 2:10 - When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.

Christmas was always a special time for me as a child. In my elementary years, I remember planning for the yuletide season weeks and months before the big day. I had some understanding that this was indeed the birth of Christ. However, as most children, I was consumed with the rapturous longing for the expectancy of Christmas Eve and the wonder of the next morning. Years past as did the charm of Christmas. In my teens and up into my 20s, I found the season I once embraced with much affection becoming something I almost dreaded. My cynicism with the commercialism turned me off as it has likewise done with many others. It took finding the Savior to help me find the correct balance---to respect the tradition of this day where we celebrate Christ's birth, along with the made-up, pretend aspect of this joyful season. While I am well aware of the arguments for and against Christians celebrating a supposed pagan holiday in reference to Christ's birth, I suppose I look more at how the Lord sometimes uses the foolish things of this world to shame the wise (I Corinthians 1:27). Therefore, I don't believe anyone does this holiday perfectly, the way God intends. However, as long as both non-believers and believers are drawn to consider Jesus Christ's first advent on this 25th day in December, I see far more good than harm as a result. God has undoubtedly used this season to bring many souls into His kingdom. In this I rejoice! However, to those whom much is given, much is required. For those of us who understand the significance of Christ's first advent, we should invariably be drawn into an expectancy of His return. It is incompatible to divorce the significance of one from the other, both historically and contemporarily.

At this time of year, I invariably think about those three Magi who traveled hundreds of miles from the area of Babylon to celebrate our Savior's birth. These men may have known Yahweh. However, they might just have easily not, especially since they probably studied astronomy and astrology under the pagan Medo-Persian religious order of Zoroaster. All we know is that Daniel prophesied the coming of a Great King, the Messiah, in Daniel 9 and they ascertained his birth to be in their lifetimes. The prophet states:

Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place. So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. - Daniel 9:24-25

The 69 weeks mentioned in these scriptures are symbolic of 69 years times the number of days in a week, seven. From history, we know that Artaxerxes, King of Persia issued a decree on March 14th, 445 BC. The aforementioned 69 years times seven years would equal 476 years plus 24 days (on the Jewish lunar calendar consisting of 29.5 days per month) thereby culminating on the very day Jesus would make His triumphal entry into Jesus as "Messiah the Prince" (April 6, 32 AD). This is important to know in regard to the Magi. With the precision of Daniel's prophecy regarding the advent of the Messiah, the Wise Men knew his approximate time of birth by calculating the age of someone proclaiming Himself as the Messiah. This Person would need to be at least 30 years of age to comply with Jewish laws of manhood. Therefore, the Magi were expectant and overjoyed at the appearing of the star, knowing this was surely the sign of the Prince's appearing. Their journey to ancient Palestine resulted in the familiar story we all know so well in Matthew 2:1-12. We are told how they returned to their own country after visiting the child and his parents, thereby ending their story according to scripture. However, it is easy to imagine how they presumably understood the saga of this Messiah Prince had only begun. Just as they were able to figure out mathematically the time of Christ's first appearing, they knew that a future event yet to be revealed would mean Christ's return. They probably didn't understand all of the implications of His second coming. However, we can certainly believe they knew the final week, or the 70th week in Daniel's prophecy, was to be fulfilled at a later date. Their faith undoubtedly became strong by participating in His first advent, while they looked futuristically to His imminent return.

Ironically, the entire world has the same information today that these Zoroastrian Magi possessed nearly 2000 years ago. Unlike many today, these Wise Men of ancient times were expectantly waiting for the revelation of the Messiah. While many today look forward to what we call Christmas and the celebration of the birth of Christ, I wonder how many who call themselves Christians long for the second appearing of Jesus? When He comes again, He will not come as a babe, but as the KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS. While many can look forward to a holiday celebrating His birth, how many long for Him and the revelation of what His birth means to us all? And, of equal or greater importance, how many of us desire to know the Man grown up from that manger who was once covered in swaddling clothes? Beloved, I suggest it is hypocritical to suggest how one can love Christ's first advent celebrating His birth, but not be expectantly waiting for His second coming. The two are inextricably linked. My mention earlier that more good is done than harm by celebrating Christmas, I should now further qualify. We cannot be content to just celebrate the Savior's birth. If that is all we do, then we have stopped short of God's intent and aborted the Christ child, not allowing Him to grow to full stature in our hearts. He is coming again, and if we are expecting a sweet baby we will be horrifically disappointed. The Christmas Child is meant to grow and become first our Savior and Lord and then our friend. If we refuse to give up the silly notion that Jesus came once only to give us a reason to celebrate the birth of the Savior, then we come woefully short of the mark. If, however, we embrace not only the Christ-child and the expectancy of His future return, then we fulfill His desire for men and women who celebrate His ENTIRE life. He is coming after a holy bride that anticipates His coming, purifying herself as she waits (I John 3:2-3). May we all be "wise men", calculating the impact on our lives by both his first and second advent. Otherwise, we may reveal our foolishness at His great appearing by our falling short of His wonderful intention for our lives.

Heavenly Father, thank You for revealing from Your word the first great advent of Your Son. While no man knows the day nor the hour of His second coming, may we all ready ourselves by loving his first appearing and longing for His most certain return. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Fathers' Hands - December 14, 2014

Jeremiah 47:3 - ... The fathers have not turned back for their children, because of the limpness of their hands.

As a grandfather, there is nothing quite like my grandson reaching up to grab hold of my hand as we walk. It is a special connection that speaks of a child's trust toward someone that loves him deeply. I remember holding my children's hands when they were small, and that same childlike trust. Their adoring eyes would meet mine as I would pick often them up and hold them tight. Ideally, attachment to our children is not supposed to turn into emotional and spiritual detachment. Children will continue to love and trust through pubescence and into adulthood if they are not disappointed to do otherwise. What will frequently initiate a severing of paternal ties with our offspring is a lack of care and concern for them, and an overriding preoccupation with ourselves. Oftentimes, parents can become so detached from their children that their self-absorption is evident to all, especially to our children. While our offspring often look to mothers for comfort, they look to their fathers for protection. A child will rightly feel grossly violated when a father fails to keep them from harm and without a sense of security.

Paternal trust by our children is as old as mankind itself. In the book of Jeremiah, we see a breach of this trust nearly 2600 years ago amongst Israel's ancient rival. As our lead verse implies, a horrific theme of forsaking had occurred which continues throughout the chapter. The prophet is speaking a prophetic word against the Philistine nation regarding their devastation by the hand of Pharaoh. Jeremiah's inference in this futuristic foretelling is that the Philistine fathers would abandon their children, being terrorized while running away from the onslaught. Upon the fulfillment of this prophecy, some had undoubtedly escaped Gaza (a chief city of Philistia) without concern for the welfare of their offspring. He spoke judgment to these weak fathers for their self-centered preservation, who would sacrifice their own children to their ruthless conqueror. The prophet characterizes their lack of strength as both a man and as fathers by the "limpness of their hands".

A day of forsaking such as portrayed by Jeremiah did not happen because of this solitary event. In order for fathers to forsake their children in a time of distress, they undoubtedly had forsaken them days, weeks, months, or years before in their hearts. Their lives had become so busy with their own pursuits that their children became pushed down the priority list. We see other examples in scripture of fathers forsaking their children in much more demonstrative and horrific ways. The Old Testament mentions the Ammonite god Molech eight times and it is always in conjunction with child sacrifice. Twice in the book of Leviticus, the Lord warns the children of Israel of this detestable practice of the nations they are soon to dispossess from Canaan (Leviticus 18:21; Leviticus 20:2-5). Sadly, in the book of Kings, we see its establishment by none other than King Solomon (I Kings 11:7). Whether Solomon himself sacrificed any of his own children to Molech is not revealed in scripture. However, we can surmise that this was an invitation to all who desired to do so to complete this ghastly form of idolatry. We are told that two later kings of Judah, Ahaz and Manasseh, did indeed "make their sons pass through the fire" (II Kings 16:3; II Kings 21:6). One might ask, "How could someone do such a thing? It would never even enter into my mind to do a crime such as this against children!" Before we cast judgment on these ancient idolaters, let us first establish the fact that idolatry of ANY kind is an abomination before God. The Lord stated in His first commandment, "You shall have no other gods besides Me" (Exodus 20:3). While child sacrifice is horrific, it is merely a progression of idolatrous behavior that had become socially acceptable. To give a more contemporary example, we might say that we would never have participated in the holocaust against the Jewish nation in World War II Germany. However, once something becomes acceptable, there is no telling what atrocities will be awakened in the human psyche.

While this is a horrific thing for us to contemplate -- fathers abandoning their children to idolatry -- it is indeed a reality happening around us every day. Fathers with "limp hands" are giving in to their own desires rather than sacrificing themselves for their children. (Indeed, there will be a sacrifice, whether it is the father or the child!) We see it happen as children are allowed to grow up much too fast, exposed to the overt sensuality of this world. Through paternal blindness, their innocence is sacrificed in the name of social acceptability. "After all," both fathers and children might reason, "Everyone else is doing it so I guess it's okay, huh?" What they fail to recognize is that it's not okay. These fathers with no moral compass have allowed their children to "pass through the fire" and to be sacrificed to the god of this world, all in the name of compliance to social norms. What they fail to recognize is that they have run away from the enemy much like the Philistines before Pharaoh, sacrificing their children rather than protecting them. By not sacrificing themselves, they have created an insufferable breach in relationship that can only be healed by the Lord God Almighty. For those of us who have sacrificed our children to our respective "Molechs" by our neglect and selfishness toward them, there is always opportunity for healing. If we confess our sin of idolatry to the Lord, He will begin the restoration. We must be willing to tear down the altars of selfishness and do whatever it takes to bring reconciliation. May God give us all strong hands and tender hearts to bring the children back to a father's heart of love and sacrifice.

Heavenly Father, teach us to be remarkable fathers. Allow us first to surrender our lives to Your Fatherhood. Then, give us tender hearts and strong hands for those You've called us to father. We ask this in Jesus' name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Greatness - December 7, 2014

Jeremiah 45:5 - "But you, are you seeking great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I am going to bring disaster on all flesh," declares the LORD, "but I will give your life to you as booty in all the places where you may go."

Nineteenth-century humanist writer William Hazlitt once said, "No really great man ever thought himself so." Even an atheist such as Hazlitt understood the simplicity of what makes someone great. The greatest Man who ever lived was someone who definitely knew who He was upon this earth. However, He also knew who He wasn't. Jesus Christ, even though God in all respects, chose not to regard Himself equal to God while He lived His life on earth. Instead, He chose to empty Himself and take on the life of a servant for all mankind (Philippians 2:5-7). Greatness, as understood in a man, will always be measured by the degree of humility one possesses. Without the sacrifice of self, there can be no true greatness. Ironically, anyone who seeks great things for themselves will never grasp what they seek. Only as one chooses to give themselves for others will the aforementioned find their respective place of greatness. Unfortunately, many judge greatness by outward recognition from others. They gauge their so-called success by the accolades they might garner. Once again, the benchmark is Jesus and how he emptied Himself and lived for others. He looked only to the Father and for His approval, rather than the empty praises of men.

What many don't realize is that in order to find God's greatness for their lives, one must seek little for themselves and much for God. Many abort God's goodness and His desires when they contradict His will and claim to know what will make them great in His kingdom. They argue they are working to build God's kingdom, but they are more correctly building their own little fiefdoms irrespective of the Lord. These attempt to leverage the power of God in their lives for their own ends, remaining shallow without much depth to show for their selfish efforts. They have refused to allow the Holy Spirit to dig a deep foundation in their lives by submitting to Him in humility (Matthew 7:24-27). As Jesus states in the parable of the two foundations, the criteria to live as a great man or woman of God is both hearing and acting upon God's word. As we die to self, God is then allowed to go a little deeper and to dig out the self-absorption that plagues us all. The stability of a man or woman who allows God to dig out self is sometimes not so apparent on the surface. However, there is a strength that prevents them from being moved by what anyone might say or do, both negative and positive. Their concept of greatness has been divorced from themselves and instead has been transfixed on the greatness of what God has done in their lives.

To seek greatness invites disaster, according to our lead verse. Those who build foundations upon the sands of pride and self-assertion are destined for destruction. Jesus' disciples allow us to understand through the Gospels how it is possible to be close to the Lord, hearing His words daily, but not acting upon them. In one particular instance, they manifested their shallowness and their relative "smallness" by seeking greatness for themselves. James and John were part of the Lord's inner circle, yet they had not received the word implanted which was able to save their souls (James 1:21). When the sons of Zebedee came before the Lord and sought preferred seating in Christ's kingdom, they revealed their hearts and their own "kingdom building" rather than seeking Christ's will (Mark 10:35-37). The disciples scorned James and John for their self-seeking. Jesus' response was a gentle reproof, stating ... whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant (Mark 10:43). This paradoxical statement must have flabbergasted the disciples! However, Jesus continued to model the attitude of a servant right up until the night before His death when He abased Himself by washing the disciples feet. A rabbi in ancient Palestine would never think to do such a thing. Yet, here was the most complete Man who ever lived doing just that! Jesus not only gave His disciples a lesson in greatness through servitude, but everyone who would read His example of humility in John 13. By seeking God's glory, Christ tells us that our flesh will die each time we submit to the Father's will regarding His greatness for our lives. If we will but "have this attitude in ourselves that was also in Christ Jesus", then God's disaster will not find us on that day when He judges all flesh. Beloved, it is hard to judge a dead man! And, if we are living dead to ourselves and to our sinful flesh, then we have already pronounced disaster to our own flesh (Jeremiah 45:5). As Jeremiah the prophet further states in our lead verse, we will then find our lives as "booty" because we have lost our sinful lives for Christ's sake (Matthew 16:25).

The door to greatness is not one that many feel comfortable entering. And, it shouldn't feel comfortable. If it does, then we have entered through a door of pride and our self-serving greatness will undoubtedly make us smaller than we would ever desire. However, if we seek God's greatness and to increase His glory upon this earth, a peculiar thing begins to occur. God will have begun His excavation within our souls to rid us of the last vestiges of our old sinful nature. He will then begin to backfill within us the peace and serenity of His presence that ensures us we have begun to partake of Him in a whole new way. Once a man or a woman is totally surrendered to God as a servant for all, there is no telling where their greatness will end. And most ironically, they will be shocked and dismayed that anyone would ever think of them in such a manner. They have entered into that sublime place of greatness through their smallness of stature, by not ingratiating themselves to their flesh and its desire to be a "somebody". However, before God, they will powerfully tower before their Maker as a servant for His good pleasure. May we all find this place of greatness, in humility before the Great King.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Jesus' example. Help us to get small so we can live in greatness before You. No matter what the world says, we don't care. We desire to spend our lives on You and to live as spiritual giants through humble service to You. Help us to be like Your Son. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Loyalty - November 30, 2014

Proverbs 21:21 - He who pursues righteousness and loyalty finds life, righteousness and honor.

Recently, I re-watched the first two movies in The Godfather series. I don't have a lot of extra time for movie-watching, but I was able to catch bits and pieces while doing other things in my office. What has always intrigued and fascinated me about these films is the character of Michael Corleone. His devotion toward "The Family" is notable in a ruthless fashion. Of course, once Michael became Godfather, everything had to be his way. It was understood, that for him to show weakness meant a breakdown in the strength of the family. If he made concessions, he knew that others would take advantage of his proposed kindness. In order for this not to happen, we see a stalwart leader that is (to the most part) unyielding in his loyalty to his business, his family, and to his criminal heritage. However, the adage is true in respect to the Corleones; those who live by the sword will ultimately die by the sword (or in this case, the gun). Their earthly kingdom of wealth and power garnered by nefarious behavior was destined to crumble. Their continued success was dependent on their continual sacrifice and loyalty to their cause, no matter how destructive the outcome to them and all whose lives they touched.

My take-away from movies usually involve themes. Probably my favorite movies are redemptive. Not so with The Godfather Saga. In these, I see a theme of perverse loyalty that only results in death and destruction. Michael said something very poignant in the first film; keep your friends close, but keep your enemies even closer. How true this must be also in Satan's kingdom! I can only imagine how the demonic realm functions outside of what scripture tells us, but I believe earthly manifestations of evil can also give us insight into the evil one's kingdom. Looking at Michael Corleone's statement, one can see an underlying mistrust for both enemies and friends. With a "business" built on wickedness, how difficult would it be to call any "friends" and believe they were totally trustworthy? We can only imagine that similar attitudes are prevalent in the demonic world. Paul tells us that principalities and powers rule the air (Ephesians 6:12). As we live and breathe, there are Satanic forces hovering above us in the second heavens, trying to affect men's lives for evil. The book of Daniel, amongst other places in the scriptures, tells us that there are devilish "princes" ruling over various parts of the earth (Daniel 10:13). We can easily surmise that under these princes exist legions of demonic minions that live in constant fear of disobeying the slightest command of their demonic superiors. We can speculate that every time they fail in their quests to move us toward wickedness, then they are severely punished. It appears that one of the most horrific punishments to a demon would be to send it back to hell. This is evident in the exorcism of the man from the land of the Gerasenes in Luke chapter eight. The demons named Legion pled with Jesus not to send them back into the abyss, asking instead to be allowed to enter a herd of swine (Luke 8:31-32). Possibly, to be allowed to roam the earth and perpetrate mayhem on mankind was a huge promotion compared to the demotion and punishment that awaited them if they failed in their earthly duties. It's no wonder that when Jesus addressed the Pharisee's accusation of casting out demons by Satan's authority, he posed a question of logic as a rebuttal. He answered them as follows: But He knew their thoughts and said to them, "Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and a house divided against itself falls. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul." Jesus tells us straight up that there is no division in Satan's kingdom -- that he controls his realm with intimidation and fear -- much like what we might witness in a Hollywood movie about gangsters.

While Christians should not necessarily keep their enemies closer than their friends, we should certainly understand the schemes and the desires of our enemy to entrap us to do his bidding. Our understanding of who we are in Christ allows us to be loyal to a kind Master that does not threaten retribution if we should stumble. In the aforementioned story, Christ appears to show mercy when dealing with Legion. He could have easily denied their request, but instead he allowed them to enter and destroy a herd of swine. While it is unclear why He would allow a herd of pigs to be hurled over a cliff, it does speak to His sovereignty to show mercy and kindness to whomever He desires (Romans 9:15). While it may not fit in our theology to believe that Jesus would be kind to demons, He ultimately had a higher purpose than just that or He would not have done it. Our God is not sympathetic or over-emotional and is not swayed by unreasonable entreaties. On the surface, it looks like he succumbed to the demons desire. However, we can be assured that His loyalty to the Father did not waver in that situation whatsoever. For whatever reason, Jesus did what He did. He was still in control and did not have to use retribution. Possibly, he desired to remind these fallen creatures the difference between their leader and the One whom they rebelled against long ago? However, the point is that Jesus lived faithfully and with loyalty toward His Father and His desires. His kingdom is one built on love, kindness, mercy AND loyalty. The opposite is true of Satan's realm where hate, fear, and the promise of retribution are ever-looming realities.

Whether it's movie Mafioso or Satan's minions, we can be assured there is a price to pay for the lust of living for oneself. While both organizations undoubtedly promise rewards, they are empty ones that will only result in misery and death. Those who pursues sin and loyalty to depravity will ultimately find unrighteousness and dishonor. However, those who choose to follow the Son of God become part of a "Family" that never seeks retribution when we fail, but always offers mercy and kindness to the contrite of heart. As long as we stay loyal to the One who paid the price for our souls by His death on the cross, we have nothing to fear. Jesus' loyalty to the Father made room for us all in the most loving family ever created. May we all turn from the hate and fear that seeks to monger death to our earthly existence, and may we turn to the One who is faithful and loyal to see us fulfill our eternal destinies. Lord, we pledge our lives to You and the glorious future You've planned for us all!

Heavenly Father, help us to pursue Your righteousness. Let us pursue You with devoted loyalty, daily seeking your presence in our lives and those whom we love. In our seeking, You've promised life, holiness, and honor. Let it be so, Lord. Thank you that You've made us part of Your glorious family through the loyalty of Your Son. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

The Hope of Thanksgiving - November 23, 2014

Romans 5:5 - and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

What does Thanksgiving mean to us? Is it that once a year gathering together of friends and family when we refuse to count calories and we enjoy food, family and football? For many of us in America, that is the hope of this annual fourth Thursday in November. For others, it has a deeper meaning. The food and fellowship are still important. However, there is a deeper dynamic that occurs during this day we call Thanksgiving. For those with a faith in God, it becomes a time to ruminate upon our blessings and to give thanks for our bounty. Whatever our station in life, those possessing a relationship with Jesus Christ understand that gratitude of what has been given from the hand of God is not to be taken lightly. We must thank the Lord no matter our lot, even as those struggling Pilgrims did nearly 400 years ago at Plymouth Plantation. While we have so much more than they could ever dream, I sometimes wonder if they had more than we possess? There is a singular quality in these Puritans of old that stands out in stark remiss in many of today's celebrations of Thanksgiving. I submit that that the depth of one's thanksgiving is birthed in the womb of hope -- a hope that comes from above.

If the ordinary man or woman were asked the definition of hope, there would undoubtedly be many answers. However, I speculate that most would equate hope with wishing rather than believing. We might wish for something to happen and we may or may not have the outcome we desire. However, someone who knows the Savior can place their hope in the promises of God. This, beloved, is not wishful thinking. For not one of God's promises has ever failed, nor will one ever. There is always hope if we have put our trust in God. The decision for the Pilgrims to venture forth -- first from England and then from Netherlands to journey to the New World -- was not based on wishful thinking. Those who embarked on that perilous journey on the Mayflower possessed a profound hope and faith that God would not only lead and guide them but establish them in the new land. Their hopes were somewhat dashed as they clung to life that first winter. However, the Lord delivered them and gave them reason to rejoice in the early autumn of 1621 when they enjoyed their first Thanksgiving with their native neighbors. The near hopelessness of losing 45 of their original 102 person company in that first year was somehow less overwhelming as they looked to the future with hope. They had survived only by the grace of God and the faith and hope that their mission would truly be successful due to the aforementioned favor of the Lord.

As God-fearing, Bible believers, they must have taken great solace in the Word of God. I believe the Pilgrims would have often reflected on Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, where he speaks of faith, hope and love (I Corinthians 13:13). Truly, they had left all they had known in the Old World in faith and hope of a new life in America. Their love for their Savior was apparent, as they only desired a place where they were free to worship as they discerned from God's Holy Word. While both their faith and their love were important, I believe hope's placement between faith and love in Paul's first Corinthian letter resonated with their most trying circumstances . Without hope, disappointment will be birthed in the womb of hopelessness. This would certainly be true if the Pilgrims had succumbed to their predicament and likewise for us also if we give up in the face of severe loss. In short order, this will lead to the loss of love and respect for God and finally to shipwrecked faith (I Timothy 1:19). However, if we know the love of God, and allow faith to nurture hope, we are told in the apostle's book to the Romans that disappointment cannot be spawned when hope is present (Romans 5:5). The love that has been shed abroad in our hearts by an indwelling Savior becomes the lifeline that allows faith and hope to anchor our souls (Hebrews 6:19). Out of this place of fluid faith, hope, and love can flow true thanksgiving that is born out of a truly grateful heart.

I suggest that it is impossible to know true gratitude and thanksgiving unless one is grounded in the love of God. What others might experience is a shadow of reality that has its roots in human sentimentality. For the love of God to prosper in our hearts and lives, it must be quickened by faith and be grounded in hope. In this regard, we expect far too much from those who don't know the Savior to understand the significance of Thanksgiving. It has deep, spiritual roots that drink deeply from the wells of everlasting hope. Those who trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior will never be disappointed if they surrender their lives to Him. For those who will but trust Him, Thanksgiving will never again be the same. It moves from a purely sensual experience to a spiritual one that is grounded in hope and love for the One who has promised never to leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Like the early Pilgrims, we can have the assurance of hope that does not disappoint with an outcome of love and thanksgiving.

Heavenly Father, thank You for your blessed hope. Thank You that Your love enables Your hope to anchor our souls with an assurance You will always be there for us, no matter what may come. Thank You for the gift of thanksgiving that comes from persevering through the hope of Your promises. For as we give thanks back to You, we receive a bounty that we cannot contain. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

For Conscience Sake - November 16, 2014

Acts 24:16 - In view of this, I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men.

Many of us can remember from early childhood the adage, "Let your conscience be your guide". Most children are taught from an early age what is the difference between right and wrong. Even those with little or no parental involvement inherently know when their behavior is acceptable or not. According to British researchers from a 2008 study, "children have an inbuilt sense of right and wrong". This is just one of many research groups that have found similar results during the past century. Scripture has long confirmed what to many of us is the obvious. The Apostle Paul explains that, like children, even those without someone to tell them what is right and wrong will invariably know the difference. He writes to the church at Rome, stating: Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them (Romans 2:14-15). Paul declared that no person is without excuse to obey the law. No matter if you are Jew or a Gentile, a religious person or pagan, no one can stand before God someday with a supposed alibi regarding their behavior. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). And, if all are honest, they will admit to this truth on this side of eternity where there is ample time and opportunity for repentance.

During Paul's defense before the Roman governor Felix, the apostle was only too aware that both his Jewish accusers and his Roman imprisoners understood this law of conscience. Whether they wanted to admit it or not, he knew that every man's life either accuses or defends himself in his actions. Paul's rebuttal to those who sought his death in the twenty-fourth chapter of Acts was meant, first of all, to show the Jews he was bound by the commandments handed down by Moses. Secondly, and of greater importance, that he was restrained by a greater law -- the law of conscience that was dictated by love for God. In our lead verse, Paul states that he does his "best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men." Of interest to our study, however, is the phrase "In view of this" which precedes his statement of conscionability. We must therefore retrieve "that" of which he speaks of previously. In verse 15, Paul states "that": ... having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. The apostle cleverly appealed to his Jewish accusers sensibilities by stating all men must live with conscience before God on a daily basis, ensuring their right-standing with the Father. In addition, he also spoke a stinging word of rebuke to his Roman captors regarding their garbled view of eternity. Ancient Romans held to many belief systems regarding an afterlife. Some believed that there would be a judgment at the river Styx when they either had eternal coinage to give to the boatman, Charon, or they didn't. If they did (which was symbolic of living a good life) then the ferryman would transport them to the Underworld to live for eternity. If not, they were left to wander the shores. Other viewpoints, depending on which Greek belief system they might have inherited, lived rather nihilistically and believed that this world was the end of their respective journeys (e.g. the Cynics, where our contemporary word derives).

In a brilliant defense, Paul recognized that he could never win by going on a punitive tirade against his accusers. Instead, he merely stated the facts of man's relationship with God. He told his audience that someday, on that last day, there would surely be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. Notice that he didn't say "the good and the bad". Paul would have known those to be much too relative terms to give this mixed group of listeners. Instead, he defined them as those who had either accepted the forgiveness of Jesus through "having a hope in God" or those who had shunned the Savior and His salvation for their lives. Through the Holy Spirit, Paul set them up to ask themselves the same question that he invariably asked himself on a daily basis, "Have I lived today with a good conscience before God and men?". He knew that the only answer they could honestly provide in their defense was "no". That is the case of any of us. If we do not know the Savior, there is no cleansing of our conscience before our God. If we have not accepted the blood of Jesus as the redeeming work in our life, then our consciences are "wicked" and not "righteous". Only through Christ is there the hope of salvation -- that we will be resurrected into newness of life. That is the reason why we look to Jesus for His power to cleanse our consciences and to make us stand in His presence, not by our own works, but by His death on Calvary (Hebrews 9:14).

At some level, we all know when we transgress God's ways. Paul elevated Jesus in himself to his accusers, stating that the only way he could stand before them blameless and with a clear conscience was by the redeeming life of the Son of God living within. Today, many know the righteous way to live, yet they deny the power to do so. They have rationalized God to the point, like the Romans, that they have adopted a conscience that is fitting for their lifestyles. Through their self-deception, they have prevented both themselves and possibly others from finding the Truth as outlined in the scriptures. Their consciences, as Paul states to Timothy, have become seared in the fire of their own lust to live separate from God (I Timothy 4:2). However, there is healing and restoration for all who would but humble themselves and submit to the conviction of the Holy Spirit (John 16:8). Whether we have become religious "prudes" like the Pharisees, believing our own righteousness will save us, or we have dumbed down our consciences to the point of not believing anything, the Savior is there to resurrect any and all who would call upon His Name. Newness of life can begin, right now, when we receive Him into our life. May we all experience the resurrection from the dead through a blameless conscience, both now and on that final day.

Heavenly Lord, grant us the ability like your servant Paul to live blamelessly before You, everyday, with a conscience that is cleansed through the blood of Jesus Christ. Help us to live before You with hearts sprinkled clean by His redemption. And, help us, like Paul, to testify of Your goodness to others. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Our Victorious Heritage - November 9, 2014

Jeremiah 15:11- The LORD said, "Surely I will set you free for purposes of good; Surely I will cause the enemy to make supplication to you in a time of disaster and a time of distress."

Most humans desire a peaceful existence -- to live a life free from dread or uncertainty. Someone has candidly said, "Freedom isn't free". Oftentimes, the best way to keep and maintain our respective freedoms is by maintaining a forceful opposition to all that would desire to relinquish us of these precious liberties. Probably no one believed this more passionately than General George Patton. While it is questionable whether Patton had any credible spiritual beliefs, he did understand that the best defense is often a good offense. Through his life, he displayed a courage and a tenacity toward his beliefs regarding a victorious outcome, no matter the price! As a leader of men in Europe during some of the most critical battles of World War II, he understood his responsibility as a commander and he rose to the occasion. Patton characteristically spoke about being a leader and stepping up to the challenge at hand at various times. One of his quotes is as follows: A man must know his destiny ... if he does not recognize it, then he is lost. By this I mean, once, twice, or at the very most, three times, fate will reach out and tap a man on the shoulder… if he has the imagination, he will turn around and fate will point out to him what fork in the road he should take, if he has the guts, he will take it.
We are all responsible for our respective destinies. For those of us who know Christ, we all have a heritage given to us regarding how we should live in this present world. The Apostle Paul, in many regards, gives us insight in how to live like "Christ's Commanders" here on earth as we meet and defeat our enemy on a daily basis. Paul tells us in the book of Romans that we are "more than conquerors" as we live surrendered to Christ (Romans 8:37). He told his beloved Timothy that ... God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline (II Timothy 1:7). As our lead verse states, the Lord has set us free to complete and fulfill destinies of "good purpose". The spiritual dynamic of surrendering to God will inevitably set in motion the paradox of victory through Him against our enemies. Jesus, of course, is the supreme example of how a surrendered, obedient life caused hell's minions to shake and tremble in His presence. Jesus' understanding of who He was in the Godhead allowed Him to rule over the enemy with a powerful assurance. When Christ encountered the demoniacs in all three of the synoptic gospels (see Matthew 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-17; Luke 8:26-39), they were distraught to see the Son of God (to say the least). In Mark and Luke's gospel, we are told that the demon-possessed men came and knelt before the Savior, entreating Him not to torment them "before their time". Jesus did not have to state His authority to the enemy. Nonetheless, they recognized his total submission to the Father and therefore made supplication to Him. Jesus was totally assured of His destiny and who he was, and the demons knew likewise regarding both Christ's and their own futures. They knew that they were the defeated and He was the Victor, and there was no compromise in their fallen situation.

As Jeremiah points out in verse 11, there are times of disaster and times of distress for all men. However, these "times" should not be relevant for those who choose to walk as Jesus walked. We possess a stated heritage as victorious conquerors, if we will but submit to the One who first submitted Himself to His Father. While we may never encounter a demon-possessed person as our Lord did, there will be numerous times when we will be confronted by the "enemy" in our lives. Our foes can take on much different forms than just demonic manifestations. The majority of the time, the enemy moves in much subtler ways. People, places, and things will often work as detractors to get our eyes off our position in Christ as a victor. They often work as instruments of this world that attempt to vanquish our faith and to rob us of our birthright. However, our heritage is always intact, if we are children of God. It will always be the goal of our flesh, the world, and the devil to dissuade us from that certainty. Once we give in to the aforementioned, then we begin to "make supplication" and to bend the knee in obeisance to the enemies of our soul. However, if we will but keep our eyes on Jesus, then every circumstance, every ill-willed person, or any worldly situation must bow the knee in surrender to the Lord within us. This will be the case not only in good times, when our soul is full of God's presence, but in those previously mentioned times of darkness and distress that we all go through.

It takes "spiritual guts" to walk out the destiny that the Lord has prescribed for all who know Him. He has given us a heritage of goodness to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to our respective world. While we may never experience a demon-possessed person bowing down to us and entreating us not to torment them, nonetheless there will be instances in our lives where we command our subtle enemies to be exorcised from our circumstances. And, if we are walking with Jesus, it will not be a struggle. As we abide in the Lord, our heritage is to watch the enemy destroy himself all around us. For truly, Christ has given us the victory if we will but accept that reality. His heritage as "more than a conqueror" has become ours as we rest in the Beloved. The battle is the Lord's and the victory is ours!

Lord God Almighty, thank You for Your victory. Thank You for our inheritance as sons of the Most High God. Thank You that enemy is defeated and that they must bow the knee to the Risen Lord who lives within us. You are mighty to save, O God! Help us to live in the revelation of this truth. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

The Law of Love - November 2, 2014

Matthew 24:12 - Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold.

Have we lately considered that law and love are inextricably linked? One really can't exist without the other. In our respective societies, laws are enacted for the general welfare of the populace. While we may not always agree with each and every law, they are created to provide a sensible, safe living environment for all its inhabitants. For instance, we my not agree with a jaywalking law, especially if we are the one that decides to dash out in traffic to avoid walking to the protected corner crosswalk. However, we impinge on the rights of drivers who have to avoid hitting us, or worse case, the trauma and horror of actually running us over! Our insistence on our supposed "rights" has violated someone else's rights by our selfish, self-centered act. So, by abiding to simple laws, we commit ourselves to the common good. We allow just laws to draw us into a collective sense of community that is a form of love for all.

However, there are forces at work that disdain and actually despise any form of law. Anarchists say that we should have no laws that arbitrate or dictate against a human desire to fulfill themselves through self-expression. This is a most dangerous mind-set. The enemy of our souls can only wish that all mankind would arrive at this demonic conclusion for living. As far as the devil is concerned, we should all live by the law of relativity, which is really no law at all. Satan's desire is that there would be no absolutes other than that absolutely anything is permissible. After all, he might say, as long as we're not hurting anybody, right? For example, people inspired by this devilish thinking will often say, "If I want to take drugs, or drink myself silly, or use pornography, what business is that of anyone else? After all, don't I have the right to live and die for myself?" The short answer to this type of logic is ... no. We were created as individuals, however, we were not created to be singular in our mores and life values. While it is arguable whether drug use to the point of overdose would affect the health industry (e.g. if someone lived as a hermit in the woods and drank or drugged themselves to death), it is NOT arguable, according to scripture, that lawlessness against God's word does not become a detriment to society at large. To continue with the example of one drinking or drugging themselves comatose, the scripture states that drunkards will not inherit the kingdom of God (I Corinthians 6:10). Also, the Proverbs tell us that those who drink to the point of intoxication are not wise (Proverbs 20:1). Regarding drug use, the book of Revelation states that outside of the kingdom are the "dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons". In the Greek, the word for sorcery is pharmakeia where we derive our English word for pharmaceuticals or drugs. As previously stated, one's own behavior may not affect others in the physical sense, but it does go against God's laws which creates a spiritual paradigm that "stores up wrath" for the impending judgment of God (Romans 2:5). Literally, every sin committed that isn't covered through the redeeming power of Jesus Christ's sacrifice, becomes a foul stench in the nostrils of God. This, ultimately, affects us all.

Jesus' words in Matthew 24:12 is an indictment of our current end-time society. The Savior's implication is that love is "temperature-sensitive". Cold hearts are directly created by lack of love, or in other words, relativism against the absolute law of God. Relativism, while seemingly benign in many of its outward manifestations, has at its heart a hatred toward God and all that He stands for. However, wherever sin increases, grace does abound all the more (Romans 5:20). The Lord, by His infinite mercies, allows an escape for all who have icy hearts. He tells us in His word, when addressing the Laodicean church, that He would wish that they were either hot or cold for Him. Their lukewarmness or indifference becomes the catalyst of God's displeasure. This relativity, or lack of the law of love, creates a hostile relationship between man and God. Fortunately, for those needing His grace, coldness of heart is the most desirable place to be other than being hot or on fire for the Lord. At least with a cold, icy heart the Lord is able to reconcile himself to a sinner by showing him or her the lack of love by the presence of His great mercy. For example, if a man's heart has become so embittered against their family or friends or life at large, then the Lord can invade this man's conscience with His presence. By the very lack of love, the Spirit of conviction can show this man his extreme disparity of anything of God, thereby bringing him to a saving knowledge of Christ (John 16:8).

While humankind's hearts will continue to grow cold in these end-times, there is still hope for their redemption. As stated, God's laws and His love are inextricably linked. It is impossible to have one without the other. The hope for all mankind is that they would discover the law of liberty (James 2:12) which ultimately allows a man to truly live as an individual, accountable only to God. Only in Christ, is there true liberty. Only as we follow the Lawgiver can we know true freedom. Though hearts be cold and stony, God has promised that He can break into these ungodly lives. He only needs the fire of His love, that is bound to His laws of mercy and forgiveness, to come into a man's heart and to melt and mold him for His good pleasure. He waits, He longs, and He will not relinquish His quest to bring us the to His law of love. May we all yield to His irresistible, powerful presence that will truly set us free!

Lord God Almighty, thank You for Your laws because they draw us to Your infinite love. Help us to be on fire for You, always embracing your law of love. In Jesus Name, Amen!

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Waiting Upon the Lord, Part II - October 26, 2014

Isaiah 40:31 - Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.

What does it mean to wait upon the Lord? For many this might imply inactivity or even a pious solemnity typified by a cloistered monk. These assumptions are far from what Isaiah meant when he penned the words of our lead verse through the leading of the Holy Spirit. While this passage is one of the most quoted Old Testament scriptures, one must read it in context with the previous verses that lead up to this climactic end of the chapter. In so doing, one will understand the writer's intent. In the preceding verses, Isaiah attempts to reason with wayward Israel regarding the strength of Yahweh compared to that of feeble man. The prophet knows that God's people have lost their understanding regarding God's omnipresence, omniscience, and omnipotence. Throughout chapter 40, Isaiah attempts to teach Israel, once again, the great God who has called their nation His own.

In Isaiah 40:12, the prophet first declares: Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and marked off the heavens by the span, and calculated the dust of the earth by the measure, and weighed the mountains in a balance and the hills in a pair of scales? The seer has seen with God's eyes and knows that the Lord is everywhere and and that He is omnipresent in all of His creation. Isaiah, like his predecessor David, knew that there was no place one can flee from God's presence (Psalm 139:7-8). As in ancient Israel, many today believe that God is not concerned with the minutia of a solitary life -- that God has more important things to do than to concern Himself with an individual's thoughts, attitudes, or actions. Isaiah might tell us, as he might have told his congregation, that to think in this regard is to limit God and his omnipresence within His own creation. The limitlessness of God allows Him to be in earnest concerning every molecule of the universe. His eternality commends His ability to master everything in our time-bound space.

In the next two verses, Isaiah lays out in God's defense His eternal knowledge. In Isaiah 40:13-14 he states: Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or as His counselor has informed Him? With whom did He consult and who gave Him understanding? And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge and informed Him of the way of understanding? The Lord as speaking through the prophet tells us that there were none before Yahweh and there will be none after. His knowledge, wisdom, and understanding is inscrutable and without human definition. God has put within the heart of man to know that there is an eternity, yet man's feeble attempts to explain it with a finite mind creates an enigmatic dilemma of trying to discern something he has never experienced (Ecclesiastes 3:11). And, that is the wisdom of God. For as time-bound creatures we should be in awe of a Creator that holds everything together by His word (Colossians 1:17). As David wrote: Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it (Psalm 139:6).

Finally, Isaiah speaks about God's awesome power or His omnipotence. In verse 14 he states: Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales; Behold, He lifts up the islands like fine dust. The prophet might very well have said to his people as well as us today: "If God can lift the islands like fine dust, then why would he not lift the burdens that we carry day to day needlessly?" The Lord wants to shoulder our anxieties and trials because He is not only all-powerful but he is also all-seeing and all-knowing regarding every circumstance we are going through. Through these and subsequent verses leading up to verse 31, Isaiah has laid the groundwork to say that it is foolish to attempt to save oneself from life's calamities. The sin that would so easily beset us is something that Christ carried to the cross in His body to crucify forever. Through Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection we have become partakers of the divine nature and the power thereof. Isaiah has set us up for the glorious revelation, proclaiming: Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.

Beloved, God has laid out His defense in Isaiah the 40th chapter, proclaiming to us His rest if we will but wait for Him and His strength. He has proved to us by His words that he is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent in all His ways. Does it not seem ridiculous to trust in our own self and our own powers to deliver when He is ever-present to intercede on our behalf? He has promised us that if we would but wait on His deliverance, that He would imbue us with strength and power to soar above our problems on eagle wings. He has vowed that if we trust in Him, that He will give us legs to run the race before us without faltering. And, he has covenanted with His people to always walk with them with a promise of reaching our eternal destination. This is the God whom we serve -- The Almighty who will give us His divine strength if we will but only wait on Him.

Lord God Almighty, we thank you that You are the One who holds the universe in Your hand. So why should we not allow You to hold our lives in Your hand also? We yield to You and wait for You to work in our hearts the way that You will. We thank You and bless You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Waiting Upon the Lord, Part I - October 19, 2014

Psalm 27:14 - Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD.

Waiting is not easy for most folks. As time-bound creatures, human beings understand that our waking (and sleeping) hours are not limitless. There is only so much that we can pack into any particular 24-hour period. So when someone or some thing "intrudes" into our already hectic schedule, it becomes easy to get impatient with the interruption. Many of us grit our teeth and more or less tolerate the inconvenience rather than accepting it as possibly a lesson in patience. The very act of impatience often testifies that we are fearful of losing something that we can never hang on to in the first place. In the case of lost time, it is more likely the crux of the problem referring to it as such. It is only lost if we believe it is. If, however, we have entrusted our time to the Lord, then nothing is ever lost or misplaced. As Paul states, we have made the most of our time by surrendering it all to the Lord (Ephesians 5:16).

Once we possess the attitude that all our time belongs to Him, then waiting for traffic or in the check-out line becomes a moot point. It doesn't matter what we are doing if we are centered in Christ. However, this attitude that spills over into our everyday life has its origin in the inner man. It starts by cultivating a view of eternity that swallows up time, because time no longer is a guiding factor. When one learns the "secret" of waiting upon the Lord, then all that we do takes on a peaceful, confident dynamic. Many scriptures allow us a glimpse into the life that tarries after God. Some teach us actually how to become an eternal watchman, waiting upon God as a servant with His Master. King David reveals both instruction and encouragement in our lead verse. This is what I like to call a "sandwich scripture" because the bread or the long-term sustenance is on the top and the bottom and the meat or the substance is in the middle. Whenever God says something, we are of course to pay attention. When the Lord reveals His word to us TWICE in the space of a single verse, then the matter is of utmost importance and should be heeded with diligent obedience. In Psalm 27:14, David through the unction of the Holy Spirit tells us to "wait for the Lord" at the beginning of this verse, but then he repeats Himself stating, "Yes, wait for the Lord". Why does He repeat Himself? The importance of waiting upon God is revealed in two commands that are sandwiched between His double admonition to tarry.

Without a mindset to wait upon God, it is impossible to "Be strong" and to "let your heart take courage". Surrendering rights to react in a defensive way or to vindicate ourselves in any matter is the only way to gain this point of power. Imagine for a moment a man who was falsely accused of something he said that others regarded as malicious and slanderous. For this man to react and to defend himself would send a direct message to God that he did not need the Sovereign's deliverance, but that he instead trusted in his own justification. In a very real way, this man had tied God's hands from supporting him, thereby making God impotent rather than omnipotent in his regard. Instead, this man must learn that in order to live with power from on high he must die to the power down below -- namely of the flesh and more precisely, self-assertion. However, once a man, woman, or child learns to die to the impulse to control the situation but rather to turn it over into God's hands, then a new and powerful dynamic unfolds. By the act of waiting on the Lord, he finds the lust to deliver oneself has abated. Rather, the heart is strengthened to look not toward the problem but toward the Solution for this and subsequent testings which it will certainly encounter. Through this strength, the heart is then allowed to take courage. The fortitude of the heart through its initial strengthening and then through victory after victory allows the heart to grasp onto or to "take" courage, building upon a foundation of strength.

Waiting upon the Lord is profoundly simple to those with childlike trust, but is equally difficult for those practiced in their own salvation. For those who have surrendered to Him, these know that there is salvation in no other except for the Lord (Psalm 37:39). Waiting is a form of death -- it is succumbing to another force that we have allowed to control our lives until some sort of deliverance is achieved on our behalf. Whether it be in traffic, or at the grocery store, or wherever or for whatever we wait, we are still surrendering ourselves to someone or something that we believe will inevitably change our circumstances on our behalf. If we as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ would practice waiting for Him and Him ONLY to deliver us, then we would experience a new freedom from anxiety and strife. Imagine if we waited on God with an expectancy that our time, our reputation, or any and everything about us belonged to Him? Beloved, we would be caught up in eternity with Him and the things of this earth would pale in view of His management of our surrendered state. Oh, for lives that would wait only upon the Lord! Yielded lives such as these, my friends, would be lives full of His presence and absent of the impatience that this world so generously throws our way each day. May we all learn the secret of waiting only for God. For as we wait upon Him, only then will we find both strength for today and courage for tomorrow.

Father, help us to wait upon You and You only. For only as we surrender do we find true victory. Only as we wait for Your salvation can we experience true freedom. We ask for Your grace and Your mercy to bow our hearts in humility to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Jesus the Messiah - October 12, 2014

Matthew 23:39 - "For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, 'BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!'"

As the adage goes, familiarity often breeds contempt. Ask those who are hosting in early December, how they might feel when their visitors are still house guests in early January. As Solomon stated, The end of a matter is better than its beginning ... (Ecclesiastes 7:8). In the case of the aforementioned illustration, this is undoubtedly true in many cases. However, the end of something can also bring regret that particular opportunities were not seized, or worse yet, lost altogether. Jesus' woes to the Pharisees regarding their stiff-necked resistance to the Gospel was a manifesto of their eternal doom. Hopefully, a few heeded the warnings. Unfortunately, we can surmise that collectively they remained hard-hearted toward Christ's rebuke. The religious order of that day had undoubtedly taken for granted the Person that none should discount or dismiss. And by their ultimate denial of Christ's Messianic personage, they received a promise yet to be fulfilled from the Lord regarding their rejection. Until the Jewish people could receive Jesus as the Messiah, they would not see Him. Until they could say in all humility, "Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord", their hope of salvation was hopeless.

While Christ's pronouncements were directed primarily toward the Pharisees, his indictment also rang true for many of those in Jerusalem who were either Pharisaic followers or who were guilty by indifference. Many of those who were looking for a messiah that would ultimately restore the state of Israel and its former glory were undoubtedly dismally disappointed in this "Son of David" who had made his triumphant entry only days before. They wanted a savior that fit into their own lives, irrespective of what God desired or sought on their behalf. When Jesus didn't fit their expectations, many undoubtedly fell in behind the religious order, dismissing the true Savior as another messianic-wannabe. Jesus was quick to point out to all in his heartfelt cry for Jerusalem that they would not see him until they had eyes to see their folly (Matthew 23:37-39). His heart broke over their obstinacies, yet He would never force compliance. By their freewill, He knew that someday the Jewish remnant would cry out with passionate hearts of love, embracing His return with the same zeal as the rest of His end-time Bride. As Paul states in the book of Romans, an end time remnant will be saved (Romans 9:27). However, this won't happen until the fullness of the Gentiles (or the ingathering of the nations) occurs (Romans 11:25). The Gentile church has a remarkable opportunity of "seeing" the truth before the end. It is all about seeing Christ through an acknowledgement that He is the Savior of all mankind.

Jesus told the Jews in the twenty-third chapter of Matthew that they wouldn't see Him until they possessed the humility to do so. Comparably, those who are of the Gentile nations (who is anyone that isn't a Jew), have the privilege of seeing Jesus NOW through the spirit of humility and trust. Many who aren't Jews fall into the same category as their Semitic counterparts by looking for a messiah that will fit into their belief system. Some might say, "Jesus demands too much ... He is too narrow-minded and doesn't give me the power of self-expression. I want a god that will let me be me!" Unfortunately, the devil made this same claim upon the God-head, touting his prideful independence and rejecting humility before the Most High. Every other religion in the world is based on this demonic lie of self-assertion through self-awareness. It's all about actualizing their own "god potential". Jesus rejected this mind and heart-set with the Pharisees and He continues to do so today with everything that would raise itself up against the wisdom of His salvation. This "narrow-mindedness", as labeled by some, is the kindness and mercy of God that leads many into His saving grace (Romans 2:4). Rejecting Christ and the "narrow way", is denying one's blindness and the inability to see Him for who He is. Christ will never be what our sinful natures desire to see, but He will always be the changeless Savior that will restore our sight to see and understand His great salvation if we will only heed His grace.

As Jesus dealt with the stiff-necked Jewry in ancient Palestine, He likewise deals with those in our present age who refuse His grace. Conversely, those who will humble themselves, confessing that the "messiah" they've been seeking is a self-centered counterfeit of the true Messiah, to these Christ has promised to give them eye salve to spiritually see (Revelation 3:18) and a heart to repent. While we still have breath and before His second coming, we all have the opportunity to say, "Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord". By saying this, we lay down our rights of assuming what our Savior should resemble. We give Him the liberty according to His irrefutable Law to be the Messiah according to His loving will. May we all see Jesus as we bless Him for who He is, as we wait expectantly for His great appearing.

Lord Jesus, thank You that You are the Messiah. Thank You that whomever will come to You with humility and contriteness, You will grant eternal life. Help all these who don't know You to acknowledge that You are indeed the Savior of mankind and that You desire none to perish. Help those of us who know You to continue to submit to You as our Eternal Savior, knowing that Your return is imminent. Give us all eyes to see the Blessed One in all of His glory. In Your Name, Yeshua, Amen!

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Divine Repentance - October 5, 2014

Isaiah 30:15 - For thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said, "In repentance and rest you will be saved, in quietness and trust is your strength. ..."

Do you recall the joy of your salvation? Do you remember when God lifted the burden of sin from your life. How glorious was that day! The sky looked bluer, the grass greener, and no one could dampen your spirit, for your love-struck heart ascended to God with every breath. And the catalyst for this joyous reunion with God was a total abandonment to Him through humility, or to say it biblically, we repented of our past life and received Christ into our hearts. We turned to God with all our heart and the light of His love. In return, He filled us with the joy of His presence (Psalm 16:11). As the weeks, months, and years slipped by, many experienced a different dynamic occurring when humbling oneself over sins committed. Many times there was an unmistakable absence of the closeness of God after we confessed our sin to Him and desired to move back into His presence. I believe this is why believers often get disillusioned with God and their faith, and many backslide and forsake the Almighty. They feel the Lord has let them down -- that somehow they are doing what's expected of them and He is not delivering by filling their heart once again with His joy.

Simply put, if we are not experiencing the closeness of God then there is a problem on the receiving end, not the giving. And, the scripture is clear that those who come to God must come with humility -- that He desires to cleanse us from all unrighteousness as stated in I John 1:7: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. However, verse seven precedes this repentance verse, which is an important lesson of faith that must accompany humility. I John 1:7 tells us ... if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. This scripture implies that the "Light" is critical to fullness of relationship with our Lord. We may love walking in the light of his love when all is going well, but when we sin, many turn toward the darkness because somehow they feel unworthy to enter His presence with faith and humility. This is precisely what the devil desires -- that we believe God's redemption is conditional regarding how we feel about ourselves rather than what Jesus tells us. Our Lord's promise in Matthew 11:28 is that He will give us rest in His presence. We simply must "come to Him". Our state of coming only requires faith that He will do what He says.

Some might say, this is easier said than done. However, coming to Christ in times of repentance will depend largely on how we come to Him on a daily basis. Are we developing a loving relationship with Him when things are going well? Are we spending time in meditation, gazing into the face of Jesus? Are we spending time in His word and ruminating on His love promises to us? If we will do some simple things to maintain our relationship with Him, then we will not experience our soul withdrawing from Him in false humility. If true contrition is not coupled with faith, then it is sorrow that only leads to darkness and death concerning our relationship with Him. If, however, faith is married with humility and love, knowing that He will never cast us away, then we will come into His presence with confidence that we are forgiven as we bring our sin to the light. Paul states in II Corinthians 7:10: For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. God's will is certainly for us to be sorrowful over our sin. However, His greatest desire and will is that we would appropriate the limitless grace that He provides through the death and resurrection of His Beloved Son.
We should ALWAYS turn toward the light of His love, whether in good times or bad. There is no exception. Only as we practice coming to Him everyday, no matter our state, only then will we possess the faith to come to Him in our greatest trials. Repentance of sin should never be without a joyful conclusion, otherwise it is a false repentance that will merely result in more separation from our Savior. Just as we experienced the lightness of load when we initially came to Him and gave Him our hearts, so should we experience His joy after every failing. We must simply keep "coming to Him" no matter how we might feel. We must turn our affections toward Him and believe that His love is incomprehensible and without measure for His beloved. May we all come continually to His light, trusting His word that He has truly paid the cost for our sorrow by becoming the Man of Sorrows (Isaiah 53:3) for our sin. He only desires to restore to us the joy of our salvation (Psalm 51:12), if we will but come!

Heavenly Father, thank You for the privilege of living continually in the light of Your love. Even when we fail, O Lord, You woo us back to the light so that we can once again fellowship in Your love. Help us to know that repentance without joy is a lie from the pit of hell. Keep us continually coming to Your light so that we might experience life abundantly. In Jesus' Name, Amen!

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Divine Forgetfulness - September 28, 2014

Philippians 3:13 - Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead.

Forgetfulness can be both a blessing and a curse. Many believers burden themselves excessively and unjustifiably with the weight of their past sin. Their memory betrays them regarding what they should forget and what they should recall. These would do well to remember that Christ paid their debt and has removed our transgressions as far as the east is from the west (Psalms 103:12). Unfortunately, the enemy of our souls desires us to look through the lens of guilt rather than to focus our gaze through Christ's filtered light. When we gaze at our past through Jesus and what He has done, then we view the past correctly. Satan is not the only one who desires us to view ourselves outside of God's grace, but often there are those from our respective pasts that will always see us as they perceive -- through eyes that haven't experienced the depth of forgiveness it takes to look beyond their own failings. These often project upon others their own feelings of inadequacies because they are trapped in looking through lenses that are demonically tainted.

Probably no one understood the need to appropriately remember and to forget better than the Apostle Paul. The third chapter of Philippians is a testimony of Paul's ability to look into his own past, yet not be excessively burdened by his former life before knowing the Savior. This man of God knew that it was no longer he that lived, but Christ lived in Him (Galatians 2:20). Therefore, he could look with a sort of detachment at his past, circumspectly seeing a person that held no further sway over his resurrected life. Paul notes his past resume' in Philippians 3:5-6, stating both his favorable accomplishments as well as his past crimes. In verse six he admits to being a persecutor of the church, which was the huge irony of Paul's life for those who knew him before and after his conversion. Our first glimpse into the life of Paul occurs when he attends to the cloaks of those stoning the first martyr, Stephen (Acts 7:58). One might say that Paul didn't actually murder Stephen, but most assuredly he was an accessory to his murder. (Much in the same way that a driver or the "wheel man" of a bank robbery didn't hold up a bank, yet still he aided and abetted the holdup.) We are told in chapter nine that this singular act of hostility against the church was not enough to satisfy the young zealot. Acts 8:1-3 tells us how Paul obviously felt empowered to persecute the church in Jerusalem by having untold numbers thrown into prison. In Acts 9:1 we are told that Paul was "breathing out threats and murder toward the disciples of the Lord". He was undoubtedly much practiced and perfected in the persecution, so much so that he received the "nod" from the Sanhedrin to expand his "business" to Damascus. Scripture does not reveal how many (if any) were put to death through Paul's zeal against the church. However, if they were martyred, then Paul's list of heinous crimes became a point of revelation and sorrow on that fateful day on the Damascus Road (Acts 9:3-8). The horror Paul must have felt when Jesus revealed Himself to the soon to be apostle! He knew then that God had chosen the worst of the worst to represent Him and His message.

I have often wondered what the relatives of those who were imprisoned or martyred through the hands of Paul had to say to the man after his conversion. Especially, those who were not saved and didn't know the gift of forgiveness in their own lives. How would they have treated Paul? Probably with suspicion and contempt, to say the least. No matter what seemingly good things he might do, there would always be some who would see the "Old Paul". But of course this didn't keep Paul from KNOWING who he had become in Christ. While undoubtedly remaining patient with all men, regardless what they saw or didn't see in him, he continued to preach Christ crucified and newness of life to all who would believe. Therefore, he could speak confidently as he did to the Philippians regarding who he was and whom he had now become. Philippians 3:13 tells us that Paul was desirous to forget the past when it reared its ugly head and required justice for his crimes. Paul would simply point to the cross and declare, "I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me". Paul had learned the secret of knowing his past and yet not being in debt to it. The Lord had given him divine forgetfulness regarding his past sins -- a forgetfulness of the guilt and shame, but a remembrance of the price that Christ paid to absolve him forever. This is how Paul can say that he forgets the past laden with regret. In his words, it is now time to reach forward to what lies ahead.

Many of us who have come out of sordid backgrounds will undoubtedly have a few folks that will never be persuaded by our new life in Christ. No matter the distance we put between our lives today and that old way of living, there may be some who will be suspect of our change. If Paul were here and speaking with us, I'm certain he would say it doesn't matter. What does matter is that we don't live under the guilt and shame of a life that has been crucified and buried through the Lord's sacrifice. What He did is sufficient for us all, no matter how awful our lives before Christ might have been. The devil, along with others that don't understand, will desire us to look through that lens of guilt to attempt to atone for our misgivings. It can never happen. Jesus already paid the price for us to view our past with divine lenses that forget the shame and remember only what He has done on our behalf. Are you forgiven in the Lord? Then rejoice that the shame is gone and let no demon or man place it on you again. For we, like Paul, possess Christ's reality about our position in Him -- one that looks not with dread at a purposeless past but one that looks to the future with eternal hope!

Lord Jesus, thank You for Paul's example. Thank You for taking the worst of the worst and making an example that we all can follow. For You took a man full of crimes against You, and turned him into an impassioned apostle of Your grace. Lord, we look to ourselves and know that if You can do this for someone like Paul, You can likewise help us to forget the past and reach forward to what lies ahead with great anticipation. Thank You for Your divine forgetfulness and Your holy remembrance of what You've done for Your beloved. In Your Name, Amen!

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Our Rights in Jesus - September 21, 2014

Job 34:5-6 - For Job has said, ' I am righteous, but God has taken away my right ...'

Have we allowed God to take away our rights? This has nothing to do with being righteous through justification. To lose ones rights as a Christian is to lose the luxury of vindicating ourselves in any manner or fashion. It means that we have surrendered our lives to God in such a way that removes any doubt that we are totally Christ's when the world assails us. The Lord never yielded in any way to the opinions of man regarding His life or His ministry. Jesus lived overtly in all of life's expressions to do only the will of His Father. Therefore, He was continually offending those who put their faith in what they believed to be "right", according to the law. Right living to Jesus meant fulfilling the law but also going beyond those rules and regulations handed down through Moses. Throughout the Gospels, the Lord was quick to show us how the law was incomplete without the key ingredient -- LOVE. In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ tells us that he did not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17). Not only would he fulfill the letter of the law perfectly, but of higher importance the intent of the same.

Five times in Matthew the fifth chapter, Jesus reminds the crowd of what they had heard many times through the reading of the Talmud in their synagogues. Five times he uses the expression "you have heard". Christ was not denying that his audience had heard and understood the law as it was read. However, He now was interjecting a whole new dynamic into the commandments which they had likely never considered. In Matthew 5:21-22, the Lord states:

You have heard that the ancients were told, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER' and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, 'You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

Jesus had moved beyond the written commandment and added a new dimension to the ancient law. Not only were they now not to murder, but the very act of anger was a premeditated act of aggression equal to that of killing someone. The Lord had removed any rights the individual thought he might have to be angry and yet to sin not. Jesus Christ made it very clear that if the heart was allowed to function on anything less than love then it had become merely a heartless act of murder disguised as an outward act of obedience. The Lord was exposing hearts and motives which strip away any right to ourselves, no matter how much others might try to hide the intent. Jesus continues throughout the remaining chapter likewise dealing with adultery or lust (Matthew 5:27-32), fidelity toward God (Matthew 5:33-37), vengeance or retribution (Matthew 5:38-42), and finally love for one's fellow man (Matthew 5:42-48). With each of these commandments, Jesus declared that the external fulfillment of these laws fell far short of what God required. In fundamentally simple terms, Jesus was proclaiming that from now on, all individual rights had been abolished. No longer did someone have the "right" to look at a woman with lust, as long as he didn't touch her. No longer was a man to plot his own revenge against his enemy, but he was to love him with the same love that he loved his neighbor. The Lord was stating simply that in order to "be perfect as His Father in Heaven is perfect", that one must give themselves up totally and fulfill every commandment, both externally AND with the intent of the heart. (The startling realization of the impossibility of Christ's injunction must have staggered the crowds as they listened with bewilderment regarding what to do next!)

Of course, Christ knew that it was impossible to fulfill the law as only He could. No one could live perfectly as God, save only the Perfect Man, Christ Jesus. Through the revelation of Himself as the spotless Lamb that takes away the sin of the world (John 1:36), Jesus was able to first allow others to become the righteousness of God in Christ (II Corinthians 5:21). Through His righteousness, THEN we are allowed the privilege of laying down all rights to ourselves. At this juncture, we are allowed to grow up into His likeness as we lay down all bitterness toward others, all vindication, or the "right" to view inappropriate images whether in the flesh or on the internet or TV. Not only have we come to a point as David where he would put no worthless things in front of his eyes (Psalm 101:3), but we have made a covenant with our heart not to indulge in even its desire. We have come to a place of surrender where we lay everything at the feet of Jesus and say only He has the "right" to do with us as He wishes. We desire no other way of life but that of fulfilling the commandments of God, guided by the spirit of that Lovely Man, Jesus Christ, from within.

Giving up our rights has nothing to do with our standing before God in righteousness. However, Godly denial of self is impossible without His righteousness that empowers us from within. It is beyond human ability to forgive someone for despitefully using us if we don't have the love of the Father living within us. Imagine if someone slugs you in the face and dislodges two of your teeth! If your reaction is that you want to throw your arms around them and love them unconditionally (rather than strike back in any way), then know that God has taken away the right of retaliation and has done a work of love in you. In the same way, Christ was maligned and mistreated by those who wickedly beat and crucified Him. How much more should we react if the Son of God is living within? We should settle for nothing less, but insist that no longer is it we who live, but Christ who lives within (Galatians 2:20). Beloved, may we lay our lives down daily if we call ourselves Christians. We no longer have any right to ourselves. Our only remaining "right" is to completely surrender to Jesus Christ and to allow Him to fulfill His perfect law through us. Let it be so even today!

Heavenly Father, we can never fulfill your will left to ourselves. We thank You for the Man, Christ Jesus, who lives within to empower us to deny ourselves and to live "right" with You. Show us if we have any "rights" that we continue to hang on to stubbornly. Give us a spirit of surrender to Your will. We thank You, In Jesus Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick