The Year of Decision - December 30, 2018

Isaiah 6:1 - In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.

What will this new year bring for us? Many I talk to are cautiously optimistic about their future. Others are feeling the coming year looks to offer no more hope then they experienced in the previous year. Things many have counted on in the past to offer them security  have suddenly shifted in their present situations. Stock portfolios are not as robust as they once were and housing values struggle to maintain a semblance of their former value. Whether we wring our hands in despair, or lift them toward heaven in loving trust, God sees and knows all. No matter what goes on around us, we will only experience true hope and security through the Hope-giver. That means abandoning our expectations in anything except Christ and dying to ourselves and our ambitions. Retiring to any possibility less than this is futile in the light of eternity and prone for disappointment.

In his youth, Isaiah the prophet probably held similarly high hopes for his future as many do today. Born into a wealthy family, he was educated and trained in the priesthood. His imminent expectations undoubtedly looked good. However, Isaiah would have an encounter with God that would change his life forever. In this turning point of Isaiah's life we see a progression of "NO, WOE, and GO." Before this fateful day -- when the prophet saw the vision of the Lord "high and lifted up" -- he was what we today might consider a "good" Christian. However, in the year of King Uzziah's death, the paradigm of faith shifted in Isaiah's life forever. Uzziah's reign will always be symbolic of rebellion, pride, and arrogance as he tried to act like a priest and God smote him with leprosy (II Chronicles 26:18-20). This dreaded disease of ancient Israel is a metaphor in the word of God for sin and all its consequences. Isaiah deliberately tells us that he was diametrically changed in the year Uzziah died. Allegorically, it was the year of his death to what he thought a good follower of God should be.

Before the death of "king self" typified by Uzziah's death, he said, "NO, not me Lord!" He was probably happy with his life as a well-educated priest. But now something changed. He saw the Lord high and lifted up in the subsequent verses of this chapter and said, "WOE is me!" seeing himself in the light of God's knowledge. With godly understanding now guiding him, he accepted the role as prophet when God told him to "GO." His total disregard for his own life and total concern for God's mission became his prophetic legacy. Because of his obedience, we have his writings which have lasted more than 2700 years. God's influence on an obedient man will last well beyond his lifespan as  was the case with Isaiah.

We are not told when this epiphany came to the prophet that redefined his life, but only that it came "in the year" of the king's death. Often, we will not know exactly the time or place of God's moving in our lives. We may only know it happened in a certain season, possibly over a period of time. Isaiah did not associate his vision with a particular day, because that was not important. What was critical was to know how he allowed the juxtaposition of his sin and rebellion (typified by the king) with the holiness of God and his mission as a prophet. The result was a deputation empowered by the zeal of the Lord. This was not to be just a casual prophetic word, but years of prophecy that would eventually result in Isaiah's physical death (Isaiah 6:8-13)(Hebrews 11:37). 

How many of us need to come to the "year of King Uzziah's death" in our lives? How many of us need to quit being "good" Christians and see our flesh for what it is? Seeing our badness is step one. Then, it is imperative we then see His greatness which cleanses us. We must understand how the Lord has made us the righteousness of Christ in God. This, beloved, is what truly sets us free. Revelation of this sort can only result in a desire to go, say, and do whatever the Lord might lead. Is this the year of our death to any and all of our own ambitions? Will this coming year be the year we rid ourselves of the flesh and see the Lord "high and lifted up" in our lives? If we ask, He will reveal Himself. It is the great desire of His heart to reveal the truth of ourselves and of His awesome majesty!

Lord God, Holy Father, will You reveal Yourself to us in this upcoming year? Will You show Yourself to us in Your mercy, revealing our hearts while showing us Your great love? Grant us wisdom, Lord. Give us understanding according to Your Holy Spirit. Allow us to walk in great faith as we see You in Your majesty in this coming year. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

The Christmas Star - December 23, 2018

Matthew 2:2 - Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.

The heavens have long held a fascination for humankind. For millennia, man has looked to the skies for both direction and hope. King David wisely stated in Psalm 19:1-2: The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. Arguably, the greatest manifestation the world has ever seen of the manifestation of the glory of God in the heavenlies is the Christmas star that appeared over the eastern skies at the time of Jesus' birth. By this glorious light, the Magi from modern day Iraq traveled to a non-descript city south of Jerusalem named Bethlehem. Through this beacon shining in the night, the wise men were able to ascertain the birth of a mighty king in Israel. Very possibly these holy men from the once mighty Persian Empire understood through the writings of Daniel more than 500 years earlier, that a future ruler who would ultimately save His people would be born at this very time in Judea (see Daniel 9:24-27). They understood the signs of the times and they took heed, traveling hundreds of miles to confirm that truly a ruler had been born in Israel that would be the Eternal King.

Throughout scripture, God uses stars as metaphors for his heavenly beings. Job refers to the morning stars singing together, and all the sons of God shouting for joy (Job 38:7). The psalmist tells us that God numbers and gives name to all the stars, implying that His angelic host is finite yet even so an assembly of myriads (Psalm 147:4). And Isaiah states that not all the "stars" in the heavenlies are good (Isaiah 14:13). As the prophet speaks about Satan's prideful rise and self-assertion toward God, John the Revelator tells us how a third of the wicked "stars" or rather the devil's mutinous collaborators fell to earth at the fateful time when the angels rebelled (Revelation 12:4). The greatest Star of them all is first prophesied (centuries before Daniel) to appear by a Mesopotamian prophet named Balaam. (This fellow is a good example of someone that started out right and ended up seriously wrong!) In the book of Numbers, Balaam is hired by the king of Moab to curse the nation of Israel, but instead he pronounces a blessing over the Hebrews. During his prophetic utterance, Balaam speaks about a Star that will arise in Israel and will reign forever: I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; A star shall come forth from Jacob, A scepter shall rise from Israel, And shall crush through the forehead of Moab, And tear down all the sons of Sheth (Numbers 24:17). The prophet was declaring a dichotomous fulfillment to his prophecy. First of all, he stated that this part of his prophetic word was not for the present but was for a later date. Undoubtedly, this was the revealing of the star that would herald the Morning Star (II Peter 1:19; Revelation 22:16) to be born in Bethlehem several millennia from his utterance. Secondly, it was a prophecy speaking of the return of Christ to be revealed at His second coming as He takes captive the nations of Moab (present day Jordan) and others that have raised their hand against His beloved Israel (see Jeremiah 25). Balaam's prophecy, as well as others, only confirm the inevitable in God's plan of redemption for both Israel and the Gentile nations.

Jesus tells us that in the same way as he departed the earth in the same way He will return (Acts 1:11). Even so, in the same way as he came the first time, so also will the heavens herald His return. Jesus both foretold and warned us of the great and terrible day of the Lord in the book of Matthew:

But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. - Matthew 24:29-30

This will truly be a day of great rejoicing for those who have believed, but a day of terrible reckoning for those who have despised His appearing. Just as the Son of Man appeared under the twinkling herald of a great light in the sky, so His coming will be in the twinkling of the eye and it will be a great light that will consume the darkness. The Morning Star will have arisen to create a new day where only He shall reign and no wickedness will stand before Him. For even as His coming was heralded two millennia past, so the sky will once again proclaim His glory as He sweeps the stars from the sky and He alone will remain to shine bright.

Throughout time, the heavens have been the place for man to turn his gaze to learn of God's glory. David knew this, Daniel also, and most assuredly the Magi. Now, it is our turn. Will we allow the Christmas Star to captivate our hearts until the Morning Star rises first within our spirits, and ultimately on a new earth in the age to come? It has always been and will continue to be our choice. Like the wise men, we must seek Him, traversing whatever distance is necessary to find Him. For only as we allow the Christmas Star to abide within, will we then know the Morning Star who desires to reveal His life to us all. Come, Lord Jesus, and reveal the very Star of David as we celebrate the birth of Christ in us all!

O Holy God, thank you for the Christmas Star that lives within all who call You Lord. Allow the bright and Morning Star to increase His brilliance in all of our lives until He returns in splendor. We thank You and praise You for Your wonderful gift to the world! In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Scourging Sin - December 16, 2018

John 2:15 - And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables;

Picture a beautiful spring day in Jerusalem in approximately the year 30 A.D. If one would enter the large outer area of the temple, commonly referred to as the Court of the Gentiles, they would undoubtedly see a bustling "marketplace." In probably a smaller area, one would find an assortment of livestock---sheep, lamps, doves---all which were available to purchase for the various sacrifices mandated in the Pentateuch (or the Torah), the first five books of the Old Testament. (For instance, Mary and Joseph probably purchased two young pigeons or turtledoves when their Son Jesus was dedicated in the temple three decades earlier [Luke 2:22]). However, in order to purchase animals from the dealers, money would often need exchanging. Roman currency was no good within the temple walls, but only Hebrew currency such as the shekel or denarius. Animals for sacrifice could not be brought into the temple, but had to be purchased from the dealers. Not only were "temple animals" the only acceptable sacrifices, but as previously mentioned, only Hebrew money was acceptable for treasury tithes or for paying the temple tax. Then, the money collected would need to be turned back into Roman money to support the priests and the temple. Moneychangers would often charge exorbitant rates to exchange Roman to Hebrew currency (and vice versa)---sometimes as much as 300 percent! This covetous monopoly angered many of the Jews, including an itinerant rabbi who would visit the temple on that fateful Passover.

For those of us either raised on a farm or possibly others of us who have frequented county or state fairs, we understand the unintentional consequences of animals habitating in close proximity. The early springtime rains in Jerusalem undoubtedly made a swampy mess as the ill-attended animals awaited slaughter. A common animal bedding material used in ancient Palestine, as well as an absorbent for rain and feces, was the common papyrus rush brought in from the Jordan Valley and from areas in the south. There was probably a layer of papyrus rushes or reeds paving the normally dusty ground to absorb the aforementioned unpleasantries, plus additional surplus for the animals' bedding. When Jesus came into the outer court of the temple that day during the Passover, it was probably an overwhelming sight. Stepping through a sloppy, unsanitary mess where the smells were as bad as the sights, Jesus grieved demonstrably through his subsequent actions. We are told in our lead verse "that He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple ... ." Many scholars believe "cords" in this context consisted of a scourge or a "whip" of rushes twisted together, making an instrument that could ultimately herd both man and beast. With a little imagination, we can picture our Lord slogging through the sewage, overturning tables where the money became part of the filth underfoot. While it's not mentioned that Christ hit man or beast, we can only surmise that His zeal was enough to hurry both four- and two-legged creatures on their way. The very rushes that were intended to give comfort to both the animals and those traversing that area became the tool used to eradicate them from God's holy temple. With holy boldness, Jesus declared: “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.” His disciples remembered that it was written, “ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME.” (John 2:16)

How can we apply this story of Jesus' zeal to our lives today? If we think about the temple as a metaphor for our body, soul, and spirit, we can likewise apply the same understanding that Jesus tried to convey about His Father's house. In general, Herod's Temple consisted of an outer court which was for the Gentiles and women. The inner court, or the sanctuary, was the location where Jewish men worshipped. The innermost area was the Holy of Holies where the priest entered once a year on the Day of Atonement to offer the Passover lamb for the sins of the people. If we consider the outer court (or the temple porch) our body, the sanctuary (or the holy place) our soul, and the Holy of Holies our spirit, this will help us understand Jesus' passion to keep His Father's house free of defilement. Through these metaphors, I believe Jesus was showing us how to fervently protect the "temple of the Lord" within all who know Him. Jesus knew if the outer court (the body) was defiled with filth, then it corrupted all of the temple. Jesus understood in order to keep the heart clean, there must be an act of consecration to purify the entire being. This has everything to do with both salvation and sanctification, beloved. Just as Jesus' zeal was an act of love to protect His Father's house, there may be something lacking in our spiritual lives if there is not a similar repulsion to "the sin that would so easily beset us." (Hebrews 12:1) If we do not come to a place of holy anger over sin within, and if we are not scourging sin from our lives in a zealous way, then we may want to question if indeed we are of the Light.

It really comes down to the following question whether or not we are zealous for our Father's house within: Do we loathe the sin within or have we become complacent and comfortable with our transgressions? If Jesus were to come visit us today, would we be embarrassed to show Him around our "outer court?" Have we sold out to the moneychangers and the profiteers, or have we sold out to God? If we have given our bodies to this world, beloved, we have also given our sanctuary and our "Holy of Holies", our very spirit and soul, to the flesh and the devil. There is only one choice if we are to follow God---that is to burn with zeal for the house of God within us. If we are not scourging sin then we are savoring and salivating over our transgressions. It is time to rise up and overturn every table of sin and falseness in our lives and chase the filth from the temple within. If not, we may be surprised someday regarding whose house we were actually caring for. May we all scourge the sin with cords of zeal, consecrating a holy habitation for the Holy One to abide always.

Heavenly Father, may we drive sin from our lives as Your Son drove sin from Your temple. May we experience Your zeal and passion for holiness, denying worldly gain and embracing Your godliness that only You can give. We praise You for Your goodness and love. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Heart Wisdom - December 9, 2018

Proverbs 4:23 - Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.

What is the heart of a man? Some might suggest it is the inward person as manifested by the workings of the mind, emotion, and will. These are often equated as the soul of a man, which give definition to individual character. However, the soul left to its own devices will always defer to its natural inclinations which is carnality. For when Adam sinned, the spirit within man died, no longer providing guidance to the soul (Ephesians 2:1). The great story of Christ's redemption is how He once again quickened the spirit of man with His Spirit, making us born again through His eternal life (I Corinthians 15:22; I Peter 1:3). Therefore, the heart of man could once again be led by the regenerated spirit within the man---empowered by the Holy Spirit. When Christ is allowed to reign supreme in the heart of a man, He thereby drives the mind, emotion, and will to do according to His will. This "holy bridle" causes the body to be turned in whatever direction the Lord so desires, much like a horse is turned by the reins and bridle of its rider. The degree of submissiveness, much like a horse, will depend on its brokenness toward its master.

Solomon tells us in our lead verse to put a "watch" over our hearts to protect it with all diligence. As suggested previously, this is impossible without the spirit of a man knowing the regeneration of the Holy Spirit of God. The spirit of man is dead without Christ and incapable of supporting the man in any measure. However, once the spirit is enlivened by God, then the understanding to set a watch over the heart is possible. So, in practical terms, what does this mean to the Christian believer? I believe the ability to set a guard over our hearts is grounded in surrender and humility of mind and spirit. Just as the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10), so this reverent brokenness toward the Lord invokes the spirit of wisdom to direct our lives according to His great purpose. While Proverbs 4:23 commands us to watch over our heart, verses 24 through 27 provide the process or the mechanics on how to successfully protect the treasure within. The impossibility of this task by the unregenerate man is only juxtaposed by those born of God's spirit and equipped with His power.

Consecration is only possible with God's help. In the following verses, the Lord shows us through Solomon's wisdom how to achieve the carnally impossible with the help of His Spirit of wisdom.

24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth
And put devious speech far from you.
25 Let your eyes look directly ahead
And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.
26 Watch the path of your feet
And all your ways will be established.
27 Do not turn to the right nor to the left;
Turn your foot from evil.

In verse 24, we are told we must surrender our speech to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. No man can tame the tongue, according to James the brother of our Lord (James 3:8). Only the Lord through His Spirit can make our speech, as it were, full of grace and edification for the hearer (Ephesians 4:29). However, we must submit our spirits to allow Him to control our mouths in all instances, not allowing our words to tear down but to build up through His direction. With our mouths muzzled only for His bridled bidding, we then direct our attention to verse 25 where we are told to be careful what we behold with our eyes. It is true that whatever we continue to behold, we will eventually become. Just as David declared, "I will set no worthless thing before my eyes" (Psalm 101:3), so we must also consciously and willingly submit our gaze to the Lord rather than on the world and its lusts. As we command our soul to return its gaze to the Lord within, then we are renewed in the spirit of our mind, causing us to grow in maturity (Ephesians 4:23). Finally, we see how the direction of our lives is determined by the choices we make, or the paths we take. Verses 26 and 27 teach us how to discern our choices through the spirit of wisdom and revelation (Ephesians 1:17-19). By choosing the "straight and narrow" path before us, we ensure salvation both for us and also those whom God has appointed to benefit from our obedience.

Simply put, if we will but yield our members (Romans 6:19) according to God's wisdom through the power of the Holy Spirit in our inner man, we will be watching over our hearts with all diligence. This, beloved, is consecration empowered by the Spirit of Christ within. A marvelous outcome is the eventual result. A deepening sanctification will overtake the man or woman who would continue to surrender their spirit in this manner, allowing God's wisdom to flood their inner person. The glorious manifestation is an individual becoming more and more like their Savior. They are being revealed as the righteousness of God in Christ---not only positionally but now conditionally by God's sanctifying power.

If it seems hard to "watch over your heart with all diligence," I would suggest that we must surrender to Christ before we can procure His help. We cannot do this in our own power, beloved. We must draw upon His wisdom through brokenness and humility. It is imperative that we protect our "springs of life" through His strength. For without the Lord enabling us to consecrate ourselves for His purposes, we will never know the joy of His sanctifying grace. May we all experience His holiness in this lifetime which ensures us entrance in the life to come! (Hebrews 12:14)

Heavenly Father, grant us the wisdom to watch over our hearts with the diligence You provide. Allow us the power to consecrate ourselves to You, thereby granting us the holiness of Your grace through sanctification. In Jesus' Name, Amen!

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Prophetic Evangelism - December 2, 2018

Revelation 19:10 - Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he *said to me, “Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

Have you ever considered how each of us can move in the prophetic according to scripture? Regardless of our denominational affiliation or dispensational beliefs, we all have the opportunity to function in a prophetic manner. I'm not talking about the gift of prophecy (I Corinthians 12:10) or the office of a prophet (Ephesians 4:11). I am referring to our lead verse and how the angel declared to John the Revelator how testifying about Jesus is synonymous with the spirit of prophecy. So, how do we testify concerning Jesus and what exactly is the spirit of prophecy? These are important distinctions to make in order to understand the intent of this verse. Possibly our paradigm needs to change in order to comprehend what exactly it means to give a "testimony" or to testify about Jesus and also the difference between the "spirit of prophecy" and prophecy, itself.

Let's first look at the difference between prophecy and the spirit thereof. Prophecy, we are told in Paul's letters to both the Romans the Corinthians is a gift manifestation of the Holy Spirit, given discriminately as He chooses. It appears this gift works as the Holy Spirit determines how best to manifest it for God's glory. In Revelation 5:6, we see the seven spirits of God which are sent out into all the earth, presumably to bring God's glory to earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). Some believe these seven spirits are those mentioned in Isaiah 11:2 in regard to Jesus Christ. These are the Holy Spirit, and the spirits of wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge, and the fear of the Lord. This seems plausible as the aforementioned are certainly characteristic of the attributes of God the Father and His Son. So, it is important to distinguish while the Holy Spirit may speak through an individual through the gift of prophecy, the testimony that proceeds from Jesus Christ encompasses the seven-fold manifestation of God's spirits. For instance, Jesus certainly moved in the gift of prophecy when he spoke of the destruction of Jerusalem and the end-times in Matthew 24. According to the model of gift manifestation, we can assume from scripture that Jesus was granted this insight from the Father through the Holy Spirit. However, in day to day living, Jesus moved in the seven-fold spirit as prophesied by Isaiah the prophet. His testimony, if you will, embodied wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge, and the fear of the Lord as directed by the Holy Spirit within His Person. This indwelling resulted in Christ's life as a constant embodiment of testimony through the Spirit at work in and through Him. This prophetic or "testified" expression of Christ's life resulted in the evangelization of many in ancient Palestine.

Just as the Holy Spirit testified through Jesus about the Father, in the same manner the Holy Spirit desires to bear witness about Jesus through us to the glory of the Father. This "prophetic testimony" is not the gift of prophecy but a manifestation of the seven-fold spirit as foretold by the prophet. Whenever we testify about God's great gift of salvation through Jesus His Son, we invoke the spirit of prophecy and the seven-fold manifestation to those with whom we share. It is important to note at this point how not all testimony regarding our Savior has to be verbal. We may very well speak and testify with our mouths concerning God's goodness. However, what about how we live? Our lives are often pouring forth a witness of Jesus much more so than our lips. How we live our lives may be the strongest and most convincing witness regarding the life of Christ within. Is this the spirit of prophecy as we testify to others regarding our surrendered (or otherwise) life to God? I believe it is. In fact, God may cause our everyday pursuits to bring glory to His Name. In my case, as a barefoot runner, I believe God uses the witness of my "feet" to shame the conventional knowledge of this world in bringing further understanding regarding God's wisdom for me to run sans shoes. Whether people agree with my "wisdom" to do so is inconsequential. What is important is to first be obedient and then to be in agreement with God, allowing Him to use whatever "testimony" He desires---whether from mouths, feet, hands, or lives to testify of His Son's love. When we offer up ourselves as a "living sacrifice" to be used in whatever manner to glorify Jesus, then we are moving in the spirit of prophecy regarding the testimony of Jesus Christ (Romans 12:1).

How has God challenged us to testify of His Son? We cannot shrink from speaking about Him with our lips, for hearing and believing will often come by us speaking the word of God (Romans 10:17). However, we can often set up the perfect opportunity of speaking God's word by living it first in obedience to Him. God has called us all to be "prophetic evangelists" through the testimony of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit may or may not give us the gift of prophecy so we can speak the secrets of men's hearts (I Corinthians 14:25). However, He does give us the manifestation of the seven-fold spirit that allows us to testify of our Lord through our "living sacrifice." May we all give Jesus the glory through surrendered lives that prophesy of Him through our respective testimonies.

Father, may we may glorify Your Son by speaking through the spirit of prophecy, testifying of His love and greatness. May the glory He receives through our obedience come back to You to make You all in all. Thank you for Your Holy Spirit and His manifestation in our lives to bring praise to the Godhead. In Jesus' Name, Amen!

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Household Evangelism - November 25, 2018

Acts 16:31 - They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

Many believers have taken the words of Paul to heart regarding God's promise to save one's household. While some might suggest this is applicable to only the Philippian jailer's situation, there are many other scriptures which affirm God's desire for us to lay hold of this promise for our own families. Some of us may have seen this pledge fulfilled in a brief amount of time for our our next of kin. Others (including myself) may have seen certain of our loved ones turn to the Lord, while others continue to languish in their sin. If anything, the ones we continue to pray for seem further from God rather then coming closer to Him. While this can be frustrating as a mother, father, brother, sister, niece, nephew, aunt, uncle, and so on, we must not lose heart. As stated, there are numerous scriptures telling us to persevere in our belief for their conversion and ultimate salvation. A good source to help us further understand and grow in faith toward this promise is ScripturePromises.com. (You might want to print the following and reference it often when praying God's word back to the Lord regarding your family's salvation: http://www.scripturepromises.com/promises/family.pdf.)

We should not falter regarding our hope of salvation for our loved ones. To do so is to disregard the power of God's word concerning what He states in scripture. If we cannot rely on what the Lord has told us, then where is our hope? Nonetheless, as previously suggested, we still often falter in our belief because we "see" differently than what God's word states. "Johnny" at one time at least listened to what you had to say about the Lord and His wonderful love, but now you find he is either completely indifferent or possibly even hostile to the mention of Jesus Christ. "Lucy," on the other hand, may have once been totally self-consumed in her own hedonistic pursuits, but now is pursuing mysticism of a new age variety. This consumes you with worry, knowing she has fallen for a cleverly devised plan of the angel of light to steal her soul. These are just two examples of how "seeing" with our physical sense seeks to rob us of seeing with our spiritual eyes. No matter what we "see" happening in the lives of those we love, we must continue to stand upon God's word. His desire is infinitesimally greater than ours for their salvation. We must agree with Him and His word, no matter what we see, knowing those whom we love will one day share eternity with us.

Which leads us to an extremely important point to grasp and to ultimately embrace with our entire being. What if their salvation is wrought at their dying breath? Are we content to allow them to continue through this temporal life only to be saved on their proverbial death bed? Poignantly, can we trust God to save them as we continue to believe? I am of the opinion that many souls have been lost to the evil one and his domain because loved ones have given in to unbelief. For instance, "Uncle Charley" has never given any indication of wanting anything to do with Jesus. However, we must never discount the power of the Lord to save souls such as his during their last mortal breath. Or possibly, those previously mentioned have become so discouraged over "Johnny" and "Lucy" not giving their lives to the Lord and sharing the rest of their temporal lives with them as Christians, they have therefore all but given up on any possibility of the Lord saving them. We can often become so fixated on desiring their lives to change upon this earth, yet we disregard how this life is but a vapor which appears for a little while and then vanishes away (James 4:14). We must come to a place of resolution, determining that if we never share in the joy of our loved one's salvation in this lifetime, we will indeed have all eternity to rejoice in their eternal redemption. That's why we cannot depend on what we behold with our mortal senses regarding their salvation. We must believe with godly tenacity for no other outcome than the certainty of their eternal life.

David tells us in Psalm 27:14, Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD. We must allow our hearts not to falter in unbelief, but through the promises of God, permit our hearts to grow in faith and courage that our loved ones will indeed accept God's great gift. His eternal love toward them and through us will provide perseverance even when we stumble in our faith. However, we must confess our sin of unbelief as we renew our minds with God's promises for their salvation. As we do, He will continue to transform our hearts to accept the inevitability of their redemption as the final outcome. Beloved, we must wait upon the Lord and His timing, even if it means we don't share in their changed lives in this world. However, we must understand and believe that we will dwell with them in all eternity as we all join together in praising God for His mercy to bring them to His eternal home. May God give us the grace and faith to believe Him for all those whom we hold dear to our hearts!

Heavenly Father, help us to never surrender to unbelief for our loved ones. Give us hearts that are resolute to the end, believing You will honor the promises of Your word, telling us to believe for the salvation of those whom we love. May You increase the faith and resolve of all who pray this prayer, knowing you will complete this in Your way and Your timing. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Residual Evangelism - November 18, 2018

Matthew 13:3 - And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, "Behold, the sower went out to sow;"

When I was young, my father worked a variety of jobs. However, he seemed the happiness when he was in sales. No matter what he sold, I remember him telling me how important it was to gain the trust of his clients. When he enjoyed a reciprocal relationship of trust with his customer, then they usually continued month after to month to buy his wares---whatever goods or services that might be. This was his favorite type of selling, returning every so often and simply writing up the orders. This is commonly called residual or passive sales where my father did little or nothing but continue to keep his customer amply supplied. He was merely reaping the benefit of either himself or others in his company who had done the work prior to gaining this lucrative client. There were usually only two reasons why the customer would discontinue their regular orders. The first and foremost reason was customer service and the second was product quality. Customer service could mean any number of things ranging from price to delivery or even my dad's likeability. Product, including quality and overall need would often be downplayed if customer service was exceptional. Often, passive sales would continue long after their need basically because many folks who bought from my father liked him and wanted to continue to support him.

I have often thought about what our ledgers in heaven might look like regarding our Christian witness. What type of spiritual income is being reaped for the kingdom? It is estimated that only 5 percent of believers share their faith in the Lord Jesus. Of these, only 10 percent aggressively seek to make "quota" as the Lord commanded us in the Great Commission, to take the gospel to the ends of the earth (Matthew 28:19). There is something to be said for the man or woman who will continually go forth and sow seed, as Jesus outlined in the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1-23). The sower's attitude is not one of indifference regarding the seed that will not reach maturity, but of deference to the seed which will. For he knows there must be of necessity those who will not respond, but he must channel his hope toward those who will sprout and bear a harvest. Sowing seed is much like going on sales calls. You can't "cherry pick," my father would say. In other words, a good salesman doesn't try to pre-determine where the sale will come from. He simply must blanket an area thoroughly. The sower does the same thing. He has no idea which seeds will spring to life and which won't. He can only cast the seed and God causes the growth.

When a farmer turns a field under after harvest and lets it lie fallow the next year, he often finds a predictable outcome the next growing season. A volunteer crop has sprouted and begun to grow from the seed of the previous year. The sower put forth no effort to sow this seed, yet it nonetheless sprang forth as faithfully as the year before. This residual or passive growth was the result of previous effort and was a testimony of the seed both planted and harvested in previous seasons. As in both sales and in sowing seed, there is never any assurance when or if prospective clients or crops will be harvested. However, the diligence to present both a product to a customer or to plant a seed in the earth are essential. Otherwise, there can be no favorable outcome if only wishing is the strategy and action is not present. Regarding evangelism, Paul spoke of the importance of him planting the seed and Apollos watering, and finally God causing the growth (I Corinthians 3:6). Continual sowing and watering will lead to eventual harvest. This is the principle in Paul's words. Of great importance is not to give up. Spiritual seed that is sown into someone's life may lie dormant for two, three, or 10 years until someone else comes and waters it. Then, salvation is birthed in that heart because of the faithfulness of both the sower and the one who waters. This residual or passive evangelism is often the work of others who have labored before us. All we need to do is be faithful to sow and reap as the Lord instructs.

Many of us have been sowing seed for years into others lives. While some of us have sowed, others have watered seeds which are just now coming to life after a long period of dormancy. Others have tried to "sell" the gospel to those who would never buy in the past. Now, however, some are finding these more than ready to "buy in" to the good news. We can never know when our words or actions will be leading someone closer to the Lord. The next time a person hears the gospel invitation may be the time they accept Christ's offer. We cannot know. That is why it is our responsibility to get out there and continue sowing and watering the seed while others continue to sell the gospel (which, of course, is freely given!). While it may appear some are reaping residual harvests, these are merely souls who have been sought for, prayed over, and finally brought into the kingdom through much diligence. The great tragedy will always be those who won't "buy in" or who's soul will always lie dormant and dead, not responding to the word of God. However, it is not ours to know who is destined for the eternal kingdom and who isn't. We must simply continue to work God's field and leave the results to Him. The residual field others have labored in is ripe for harvest. May we have God's wisdom to know where to put in the spiritual sickle and reap His great desire.

Heavenly Father, May we continue to sow seed and reap Your harvest as You empower us. Help us to have the courage to present Your gospel with love to a dying world, for they are wanting what You are so freely giving away. Allow us the honor to be Your co-laborers. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Intercessory Evangelism - November 11, 2018

Matthew 9:38 - Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.

Many of us who have grown up on farms or in agrarian cultures understand the importance of the harvest. A harvest can be compared to when a woman gives birth---neither are waiting for a more convenient time. When it is time, it is time. I remember hearing stories of my father's family in pre-World War II Texas working in the fields along with the hired pickers. When the window of opportunity was open to pick the cotton, it was best to take full advantage. If the seedlings survived the cutworms in the spring, and the summer drought and boll weevils, then the cotton would require picking when it was finally mature in order to get it to the gin in a timely manner. Tillers of the earth in our culture as well as those in ancient Palestine certainly understood Jesus' parables and similes regarding farming. His audience undoubtedly knew the significance of his parable of the sower in Matthew 13, but were remiss in tying its importance to spiritual matters. Therefore, when Jesus was instructing the disciples on evangelism in regard to the woman at the well, He poignantly made the following observation,

Do you not say, "There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest"? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. (John 4:35)

We can understand from this and other statements of Christ that the harvest was plenteous if the disciples would only see with spiritual eyes. The harvest was ripe for the proverbial picking. Yet, who or what prepared this spiritual crop for its eventual reaping or tragic disregard?
Jesus clearly modeled intercessory prayer in the Gospels (Matthew 14:23; Matthew 26:36; Mark 6:46; Luke 5:16; John 17). In most of these instances, we don't specifically know what prayers he prayed. We can be sure He was praying for people---not only for the salvation of those contemporary with His first advent, but also for the salvation of those in the following millennia. Jesus reveals His grand plan of intercessory evangelism from His High Priestly prayer,

I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. (John 17:20-21)

How many have believed in the Lord Jesus as a result of the words of the apostles? Not only in Paul and Peter's day were tens of thousands added to the church "through their word," but millions have since been added through their witness in the Scriptures. I suggest souls are coming to the Lord, even today, as a result of Jesus' prayers nearly 2,000 years ago. And, not only Christ's prayers, but also the apostles who modeled prayers throughout their letters on behalf of the church and the unsaved. (See Ephesians 1:17-19; Ephesians 3:16-19; Philippians 1:9-11; Colossians 1:9-12 just for a few examples from Paul's writings.) These prayers, along with countless others throughout the ages, have been fueling the engines of evangelism and bringing Christ the reward for His suffering. In the Book of Revelation, we get a glimpse of the heavenly drama which is played out before the throne of grace regarding prayer. John writes the following,

When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. (Revelation 5:8)

It is not clear from just this scripture, but it is safe to say the prayers of the saints are continually before God's throne in the heavenly sanctuary. Another scripture in Revelation testifies to this fact,

Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. (Revelation 8:3)

Through these verses, we have a picture of the eternal throne room and the business of heaven transpiring. Amidst the continual glorification of the Almighty is the work of the saints---the custodian of the prayers of all believers. Even Jesus, we are told, continues to make intercession on our behalf to the Father (Hebrews 7:25). And, not only for our behalf, but also for all those ordained to become His sons and daughters who have yet to experience eternal life. We can surmise from all the past and present prayer being offered up on heaven's altar, that souls are being reaped into the kingdom this very moment because of these aforementioned petitions. Some have watered with tears of sorrow for the lost, while others have reaped because of these intercessions. As Jesus told us, we must lift up our eyes for the fields are ready for a great harvest. The end-time revival we will see in these last days will pale with any in history. This, beloved, will be the culmination of prayers throughout the centuries for this final ingathering. We must not shrink from continuing to pray for the lost as we join in prayer with our Lord and entrust our petitions to those who have gone before us. The field is white, but the laborers are few. The window of opportunity is open for a only a short time longer. We must intercede both in prayer and in action, beseeching heaven and prevailing upon mortal men for the hope of reconciliation of their souls to our gracious God.

Heavenly Father, May faith grow in our hearts knowing lives are ripe for harvest! May we sway men's hearts as we reap the prayers of the saints for heaven's sake! May the Lamb who suffered much be honored through our obedience! In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Servant Evangelism - November 4, 2018

Mark 10:45 - For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

Have we ever stopped and considered how much we expect of others in our daily lives? At times, we often require others to be more benevolent and giving then we are willing to be on their behalf. If we are honest, there are many days we do not desire to live the Golden Rule. If we are at an intersection, it is often not our first impulse to give the right-away to the person who is anxious to go. Another place of noticeable impatience is at the check-out line at a grocery or department store. How much more important do we often regard our time than everyone else who is checking out in front of us! However, as with both examples, God is wanting to get to the heart of the matter. When He reveals our impatience, He reveals our lack of love. It is not a mistake that Paul through the Holy Spirit declares in I Corinthians 13:4 that "love is patient." The lack of the latter equals the absence of the former. So, when we elevate ourselves above those we encounter through choices favoring self, we have often chosen to usurp the dynamic of love operating through forbearance. A good exercise to do in this regard is to always defer to those we come across, whether in traffic or stores or wherever. If someone is behind us in line, always give preference to them and say something like, "I'm in no hurry. Please, go ahead!" Some of the time, people will merely turn down your kind offer. (It is often noticeable how they will often display much more patience while they are waiting after a gesture such as this because it disarms them!) Other times, some folks will take you up on your offer and do so either thankfully or not. Then, there are sometimes those who say, "Why are you doing this?" These are the people who genuinely want to know if we have some sort of an "angle." In these cases, we can tell them we do. This is the perfect opportunity to state how Jesus Christ leads and guides our lives and we believe this is exactly what He would do in this situation. From this brief exchange, we might be surprised concerning the ensuing conversation that may occur. Some may just leave it at that. However, others might have a question or two about our faith. If we are feeling led by God's Spirit, we might be bold and ask them, "Who do you think Jesus Christ was or is?" This can often lead to a divine appointment where this person we have served with kindness gets the opportunity to hear and receive the Good News.

Jesus Christ was the greatest evangelist to ever live because He was the greatest servant to ever walk this earth. Evangelism is not about who can memorize and quote the right verses, or how many people someone has brought to a point of "decision" for the Lord. Instead, it is about how many souls we have served by pouring our lives out for them. The instance of servant evangelism I previously mentioned is only one of innumerable examples regarding how we can die to ourselves and live for others as we show forth the love of God. It will never be possible to live the way Christ lived upon this earth. He came in mortal flesh, not to be served as the Lord and King of the universe. Rather, having emptied Himself of His great power, he chose rather to serve and to lay down His life for others (Philippians 2:5-8). Unfortunately, there will always be those who believe this is unnecessary and a "bit over the top." They might think that just because the Lord Jesus lived this sort of life that it somehow excuses them from a life of self-sacrifice for others. Peter had this attitude when the Lord came to wash his feet in the upper room the night before Christ's death. He recoiled from the idea of Jesus serving him in a way that seemed beneath His Lord's station. Yet, is that not like so many of us? We either reject the idea of serving someone out of place of timidity or false humility, or we feel uncomfortable when someone else wants to serve us in a selfless way. Both positions are born from fear and insecurity of losing something we never possessed in the first place. What we think we will lose is our feeling of self-sufficiency that desires to neither be an imposition on another nor impose on those we should be helping. Either way, when we refuse to serve others or to be served ourselves, we deny the very nature of Christ to manifest Himself. He is only made perfect in our weakness when we allow ourselves to die to what we consider best for ourselves.

We may never lead someone to the Lord by what we say. More than likely, if we do lead someone to Jesus it will be through His incarnation manifesting through us. The most powerful evangelizing tool we have available, symbolically speaking, is the towel and wash basin which Christ used in that upper room two millennia ago. To serve others will not necessarily mean leading someone to eternal life. However, it will allow them to glimpse the One who gives us the gift of everlasting redemption. Through serving people---these souls which Christ bled and died for---we are given the opportunity to not hinder these precious ones from entering God's kingdom due to neglect. If we are truly God's possession, then we should desire to demonstrate His love to others through the Holy Spirit who lives within. The Great Commission, to go forth and make disciples of all nations, will no longer be a daunting command that we shrink from in fear (Matthew 28:18-20). Instead, everyday will become a joyous drama which unfolds before our eyes. We will always be looking, expectantly seizing opportunities granted to us to show kindness to others while serving them. Remember, the more unexplainable our actions to the lost, the better. Let me further explain.

The next time you are in line at Starbucks or at a convenience store, buy the person in line behind you their coffee or soft drink. It will boggle their mind why you did it! They might be offended, like Peter, that you would try to serve them. Then again, they might be interested enough in why you did it to listen to you tell them about your love for the Savior. Either way, you have fulfilled Christ's desire that we love as He did, deferring to others instead of to our own desires and wishes. If we would live in this manner as Christ's expression of the church, we would turn the world upside down for Jesus as servant evangelists. May we all be obedient to live for Him and through Him in this manner!

Heavenly Father, thank You for the example of Your Son, how He lived and died as the Perfect Servant Evangelist. His message which He lived long ago still resonates in our hearts. Make us servants who take Your message of love to a hurt and lost world. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

God's Pulse - October 28, 2018

Song of Solomon 4:9 - You have made my heart beat faster, my sister, my bride; You have made my heart beat faster with a single glance of your eyes, with a single strand of your necklace.

Romance can be a wonderful thing. I am not talking about dating and much of the romantic involvement so prevalent in our modern culture. I am speaking about a romantic interlude between knowing someone and marrying that individual---namely courting. This term, while archaic to many, is God's manner and method to bring a man and a woman together in holy matrimony. We have lost much of the innocence around engagements because too little of the courting element is part of our societal expectations. However, I do know of a few couples today that when they say their wedding vows to one another on that glorious day will kiss for the first time. (This was never my experience. However, in hindsight, I wish it was part of my wife's and mine experience.) God wants romance to be a holy thing, unsullied by the world and their norms. The purer we can keep love between a man and a woman before they share their vows, the more their intimacy will mean after the ceremony.

God does not require something of us that He does not expect of Himself. God's perfect plan demands chastity and purity before our earthly nuptials. In the same way, the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, longs for His wedding day and the consummation of His love for the bride He purchased through His blood. The Song of Solomon is a wonderful metaphor of Christ's love for His beloved bride, the church. The first three chapters of this love poem declare the bride and bridegroom's love for one another on their wedding day. Their confessions of love have made many believers uneasy throughout the centuries, as many of the passages are noticeably erotic and sensual. However, let us take these in context. This holy matrimony is nothing more than God's perfect plan of fidelity before marriage. We are presented with statements such as the desire of the bride to be kissed by the king on their wedding day (Song of Solomon 1:2). The chastity of the bride is further remonstrated by the her declaration that her "perfume gave forth its fragrance" while she was at the wedding supper (Song of Solomon 1:12). What a glorious picture of Christ and His spotless bride that emits the fragrance of Christ to all! This is merely the setting that draws us as a private audience to understand the bride and especially the bridegroom's love for one another.

In chapter four, we see Solomon's love truly expressed in words for his bride. Our lead verse tells us how his heart rate is elevated by just a "single glance" of the bride's eyes. Can we then relate this to God's feeling about His bride the church? Some might question if Christ's pulse rate would change whatsoever looking upon the current state of His bride. However, we would be remiss if we did not understand how He looks well beyond our present state to the eternal perfection of His lovely bride. We have lost a true understanding of the heart of God if we believe He only views us in our present state. While the church of Jesus Christ, His future bride, is far from perfect, she is readying herself for that wedding day which inevitably will come. Even now, Christ's church is beginning to exude the aroma or the fragrance of Christ to a lost and dying world. However, we are far from what He desires in our present state. God through His Holy Spirit will continue to purge and cleanse His bride through the act of "holy courting." This wonderful process which the Lord is taking His church through is no where close to the intimacy He will one day bestow upon His beloved. Through every act of obedience and surrender to Him, we are making the church, His bride, ready for that day when He will reveal all of His love to us.

Does Jesus' heart beat faster for us as Solomon's pulse raced excitedly for his bride? I believe it does. Jesus Christ sees us as we are, yet He also sees us how we shall be through His omniscient foreknowledge. As His bride, we cannot rest on our proverbial laurels and not make ourselves ready for His appearing. Remember, five virgins were ready, yet five were not and their entry was denied by the Bridegroom (Matthew 25:1-13). We must continue to set our affections on things above, waiting for the Bridegroom's glorious appearing (Colossians 3:1-3). Is His heart beating faster when we gaze upward and inward toward Him? Not as profoundly as when He will one day return for a spotless bride, purified by our obedience and love. The "courting" continues until that day when He will intimately take us in His arms and never let us go! May we all long for that day, perfecting ourselves in holiness by humility and surrender to the Lover of our Souls!

Lord Jesus, we long for that glorious day when our hearts will beat faster and emphatically for You and You alone. Allow us to surrender more to You today, that our hearts would even now be Yours. Prepare us for that wonderful day when we shall be overwhelmed in joy and love by our Savior. In Your Name, the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen!

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Love Lost - October 21, 2018

Revelation 2:4 - But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

In his poem, In Memoriam, Alfred Lord Tennyson stated, "'Tis better to have loved and lost / Than never to have loved at all." Queen Victoria took great solace in this work of Tennyson's, so much so that she stated next to the Bible this poem was her great comfort after the loss of her beloved husband, Prince Albert. Unquestionably, this poem has been a source of consolation to many who have lost a loved one before their time. I especially think about children and their untimely deaths, how it must grieve the hearts of their parents and their loved ones. How tragic lost love of this sort must be for those who are left behind to bear this sorrow! I have often considered how our Lord feels when we grieve. Since sorrow is a God-given emotion, we must understand that He does grief in a perfect manner. We can only imagine the amount of colossal mourning God the Father allows Himself to be subjected to on a daily basis. However, His hope as well as ours is a coming day when He will wipe every tear from our eyes and we will experience eternal joy in His presence (Revelation 21:4).

Until that glorious day, we are still subjected to the results of sin and mankind's fall from grace. We are products of Adam's great calamity which usurped God's ultimate plan for the human race. Ah, but then that glorious event of the cross and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ occurred which allowed us once again to be restored to the Father through His shed blood! I hope many of us reading this have accepted this wonderful restoration through Christ's sacrifice. If we have, we know and understand how Jesus' love fills our hearts like nothing the world has ever known. However, the tragedy, not unlike losing a loved one to sudden death, is when we leave our first love as our lead verse depicts in Jesus' words to the Laodicean church. How it must grieve the heart of God when we allow other things to captivate our hearts rather than His love! We may still do things in the same way as before, such as go to church and sing in the choir or even help out the poor. Yet, something is different. Our lives pull us in one direction toward these outward acts of religious business. However, we see a different dynamic happening throughout our day that does not coincide with our religious activities. Instead, we find ourselves fascinated by that new TV program and we cannot take our eyes off of it all evening. We justify it and say, "I deserve a little relaxation. After all, I work hard all day and I just need to unwind in the evenings." This may be true, to some extent. But have we considered how we used to "unwind" in the presence of God in prayer? Or, how we enjoyed worshipping God in the car on the way home from work and now we listen to secular radio stations instead? Beloved, time is the only thing we can give back to God. It is part of our worship, offering up a sacrifice of praise. There is no other way to please the heart of God then to give Him ourselves through the 24 hours He has given us every day.

Jesus Christ is a patient, wise God and will not demand time from us. He will only point out when we have lost our intimacy with Him. It is our responsibility to return to Him, humbling ourselves and admitting that we do not desire Him like we used to. He already knows it anyway. Once we admit that we have lost our passion for Him, He can then once again grant us the grace to want Him by changing our will to do so. There will always be a struggle in the will (or our "wanter") to humbly submit itself to Christ and His grace and power, or to rely foolishly upon our own power to "do" religious things for Him. Our sin nature will always seek the easier, softer way of resisting humility because it is foreign and distasteful to surrender to anyone or anything. The joy comes when we die to self and once again live to Christ as He then takes our intentions and empowers them with His life. As previously stated, this takes ... time! We must commit ourselves to keep coming, keep seeking, and keep knocking until He once again restores that lost love that He is so desirous to restore (Matthew 7:7). Remember, many of us who have left our first love did not do it in an immediate fashion. God may restore our love with Him immediately and then He may require us to seek Him out through a period of time. Either way, His promise is He will restore us to that place of intimacy if we will but give him our time to do so.

So, what are some of the red flags we have lost our first love? We might ask ourselves, "Do I feel a sense of loss that my Savior is not as dear to me as in previous months or years?" No matter how much we are "doing" for God, it doesn't matter if we are not "being" with God. As Tennyson implied through his poem, it is better to have loved because then we understand the significance of the loss involved. Otherwise, we would not have anything to gauge what we might gain by reacquiring this tragic misplacement of affection. God desires each of us to be passionately in love with His Son. Until we give Him our hearts to reaffirm what was once lost, He will never be content nor will we. May we all find and cherish the love of Christ within, once again, and hold passionately to it until He calls us home.

Heavenly Father, thank you for the love of Your Son for His beloved church. May we reaffirm our love for Him this day, promising never to stray. But if we do, may He bring us back to Him through His word to our hearts, understanding that we are simple sheep who need the loving wooing of the Great Shepherd. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Rapture Ready? - October 14, 2018

Revelation 19:7 - Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.

A wedding day is a marvelous event. We have all been dazzled by the beauty of a bride on her special day. There is a glow and a warmth as the soon to be married is flush with beauty and adorned in her best to receive her bridegroom. The expectancy of her entrance is often announced by the familiar tune of Mendelssohn's Wedding March. When we all stand at a traditional wedding when this song begins, we are expecting the appearance of a bride in all her glorious beauty. Often, the father of the bride is proudly escorting his daughter down the aisle in a lavish setting. How tragic would it be if all the guests turned to see the bride without an escort, appearing in a t-shirt with dirty blue jean shorts and flip-flops! The stark contrast between her and the rich setting of the event is not lost on the observers. While those drawn together to witness these nuptials are in their very best, the bride has chosen to appear otherwise. Furthermore, the absence of her fatherly escort is painfully clear to the guests. Her attitude comes through clear and strong as she saunters up the aisle to join her groom: It's not what I look like on the outside. If he really loves me, then he won't care how I'm dressed!

While this may seem like an exaggeration regarding how a bride would show up to her own wedding, it is a suitable analogy for the attitude of much of the present day bride of Christ toward her future Husband. Our lead verse tells us about a bride who has made herself ready for the Lamb of God---or more clearly--Christ the Bridegroom. We are reminded over and over in Scripture that Jesus Christ redeemed us by His blood to purchase for Himself a people who would be holy (Revelation 5:9). However, to look at much of the church today, one would wonder if they have received this message---or if the church even cares! We continue to see concerning trends of compromise toward sin in the 21st century Western church. The post-modernist viewpoint has changed the Christian landscape remarkably in the past 50 years. Many of today's youth in denominational as well as non-denominational bible churches see no problem with homosexuality as a "life choice." Even more frightening, is how this is being reflected in our state legislatures regarding the attitude of homosexual marriage. At the time of this writing, seven states plus the District of Columbia have legalized same-sex marriage. Beloved, the devil mocks the church because we have allowed the spirit of this Babylonian age to take our society into captivity. How Satan must laugh when God's holy plan of marriage between a man and a woman is mocked continuously by evil! What was once a holy institution has become a defiled, base form of idolatrous hedonism as our society embraces homosexual unions. However, this is only an outward manifestation of a much deeper problem.

The perversity of these unholy unions are only one expression of the infidelity within the hearts of all men. Not only does the world join themselves in unrighteous relationships, but the church is increasingly turning a blind eye to sin and embracing similar associations. The reason is simple---sin within the church has reduced God's absolute standard to one of relativity. No longer does the bride of Christ call out sin within its congregations as it once did. How is it we suppose we will not be influenced to believe like the world when we are acting like the world? So-called Christians carousing with friends, drinking and drugging is not righteous living, beloved. Neither is spending a Saturday night at the casinos living like Christ. Or, how about sitting in front of a television set every night watching the filth coming out of Hollywood? Is this not loving the world rather than the Savior? It is no wonder the Millennium Kids and GenX'ers believe in relativity and an "anything goes" attitude. They have seen it modeled for years!

In many ways, the church is like that careless bride who expects Jesus to accept us "just as I am." However, many will say to Him on that day "Lord" and He will say I never knew you (Matthew 7:21-23). He is returning for a bride that is spotless, beloved. Not just through His work in justifying us through His blood, but through our obedience. Only then can he sanctify us for His purposes. If we recall the words of Peter, he likewise tells us to prepare ourselves for Christ's great appearing. He states: "Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless" (II Peter 3:14). A cavalier attitude like the careless bride in the previous analogy may very well mean that the Holy Spirit has forsaken us as our escort to Jesus. Furthermore, we may find Christ is not waiting for us at the altar as we might have hoped.

Is the church, Jesus' bride, ready for the marriage of the Lamb? Our opening verse states it has nothing to do with our righteous standing by justification before the Lord. However, it does state we have the responsibility to have "made herself ready." This means holy living, beloved. This means obedience and consecration so we might be sanctified by His power. Is the bride ready for her wedding day? Are we "rapture ready" to meet the bridegroom? Thank God He has not come in our present state! Jesus desires a bride who has made herself ready for Him by perfecting holiness and sanctification. For without these things, no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). May we, the church, get busy removing the idols from our hearts and tearing down everything that would set itself up against the King of Kings. Then, beloved, He will come for a spotless, consecrated, sanctified bride.

Heavenly Father, May we not shun the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. May we surrender ourselves in humility, understanding Christ desires a faithful bride that is not marked by this world. Even as unholy marriages mock Your perfect order, so also the church mocks Your command to make ourselves ready by loving the world. May we allow the Holy Spirit to escort us through this life through our obedience to present us to our Bridegroom who longs for us with purity of intention. May we come to the altar and die to ourselves that we might be made alive to Christ. May we give ourselves in thought and action toward that blessed day. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick