As I began this morning with the reading of Romans, I was struck by words Joyce Meyers writes in the preface. She said she hoped more Christians would come to know and understand living day by day the way Paul describes in this book. I know a good deal about this book but her writing planted the seed in my mind to look for detail I haven’t caught before from God’s Light which shines through His Word.
The first finding was Paul’s statement that he wished those he was writing to could know what he knew and live in the confidence in which he lived. I have felt this way for the six men attending the Sunday morning class. I have lived through all of their confusion, anger and resentment, and finally found a tremendous peace which I’d not ever known. I pray for them to have this too. The second thing Paul writes is about living in complete faith without doubt. Satan is forever planting seeds of doubt and it is so easy to grab them and even begin to believe them. I did this for years and years. Today, I still have my moments. They don’t last long, but they still happen.
I am challenged to read Romans with confident faith that whatever Paul has been inspired to write will no longer be a hope, but a truth as I continue to grow in my walk with Jesus Christ. Living with doubt needs to be a characteristic of my past and not of my present or future. I see doubt much more clearly this morning. I want today to be focused on living without doubt, rejecting it and replacing it with faith. Thank you Jesus!
Yesterday we finished the chapter on Isolation in the Mending the Soul class. In a previous year I had written that I thought this chapter would be an easy one for me because I wasn’t isolating myself any longer. I had viewed isolation as meaning I kept my story to myself and did not talk about it with others. I was telling so I wasn’t isolating anymore. Well, the class brings out the truth that isolation is far bigger when we look how we isolate ourselves from God. We do this by “not trusting”, “not believing”, “ignoring nudges”. This list could get long, but this truth was one all of us in class need to address.
At the end of class one of the guys who is struggling most asked, “Where are scriptures that say God gave man choice?” He was referencing that I had mentioned several times that because God gave man choice and would not interfere with it, man had the opportunity to abuse. What God promised is that He would provide a way of escape. I struggled with this tremendously throughout my lifetime so I knew exactly where he was coming from with the question. However, I didn’t have any particular verse to give him. I just said I’d investigate this and get back to all of them through the week. Yesterday, before all the kids and grandkids came, I googled and found a listing of 59 verses addressing “choice”. I made a document of them and sent them out asking God to use His Word to help His kids to better trust Him.
Leading this class is a continual reminder of all the work God has done in my life. The freedom I have in Christ today is grounded in solid rock when before it was only grounded in a slim hope. God is helping these men move from this slim hope to a much greater trust they’ve not known. It is so touching to watch and participate in this transformation. How Good our God is!
It is very nice to be home. The journey to and from Missouri couldn’t have been nicer. We did experience a “gulley washer” of a rain storm our last day. Boy, living where we do in Idaho doesn’t even begin to show what a true rain storm can be like. I’ve known this term for most of my life, but we experienced one and so now I know why it is given this name.
The boy I mentioned yesterday did pull through his day nicely. God is so good!
Today we meet as a class of men addressing the abuse of our past through the curriculum of Mending the Soul. At first I felt guilty taking a week away from this. When I start something I like to keep my nose to the grindstone until the project is completed. However, God knows best. As I have been reflecting on this I realize a short break is actually good. There is so much to process in this class, it is actually a good thing to step away from moving forward and allow God’s Spirit to speak to us about parts we may have not gone deeply into as much as we should. I sure know the truth of this. I may open up regarding things in my past, but I quickly stuff them back down as soon as class is over. I try not to do this any longer, but I know this practice well. God is faithful however, and His Spirit will not let us keep them stuffed when doing so hinders our recovery.
The journey to Missouri and a little visit to Arkansas ends today as we head to the airport in an hour. Last night I thought I might skip writing this morning, but God had other plans. As I awoke and came to the little living room I found a message on my phone for a prayer request which is troubling. It represents a struggle which has been ongoing for some time now and children are involved. I said I would be praying which I already have done. The scenario takes me back to my own childhood. I wonder if there were those who knew to pray for me when I was a young boy? I know that God in His Almighty Being must have planted the seed in the hearts of my own grandma and maybe more. My grandma was such a prayer warrior. I pray for God’s intervention today for this boy who is facing a “giant” in his own life.
God is Good and I thank Him for this time in another part of His Creation where people love and serve Him.
Our last day in Branson has arrived. It has been a relaxing and enjoyable time being in this part of our country. Today we will go south into Arkansas to see if things change any as we enter into this state. It is fun to do a little exploring.
The focus of this morning’s devotion is bearing fruit. However, in so doing, remember that this ability to bear fruit stems right back to The Holy Spirit’s work in our life so the thanks goes to Him rather than to ourselves. We humans do have an ego and like to feel good about the work we do. However, it is a great reminder that bringing Glory to God is our sole purpose for living. I don’t ever want to forget this. I give thanks to God for the opportunity to serve Him!
Sometimes the journey reaches a point where one needs to stop and check directions. I was contacted last night about taking some steps which I instantly felt as though I needed to act on them. However, just as quickly however, was a hesitance. Fortunately, Kathy said we would wait until tomorrow to take the steps due to the plan for today. So, I’m asking God for clarity about steps to take.
One of the very clear pictures one can see in the book of Acts is the direction The Holy Spirit gives when we choose to listen to Him. I am genuinely finding that the more I trust and believe in being the new creation Christ made me to be, the more I have confidence in listening to and obeying the nudges I sense from The Holy Spirit. I truly love and appreciate the fact that this Holy Spirit resides right in me. How amazing is this truth! It is for you and me if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.
Last night Kathy and I were able to see the production entitled, “Jesus”. It is a live production which begins when Jesus was calling his disciples and continues until the disciples are anointed in the upper room with the Holy Spirit to begin the completion of Christ’s coming. God was really pointing out to me the differences in Christ’s choices of disciples in their personalities. I’ve known this, but it was awakening for me to see them in action. I know this is a “man’s production” but God needed for me to see that He uses all personalities for His Honor and Glory to complete His Work here on earth. The production ended as the disciples were anointed with The Holy Spirit and went out to the crowds and began the same completion of work God wants us doing today–bringing His message to the lost. No one disciple was the completion of Christ’s work. The completion of what Christ came to do is done through “we” not “me”. Each of us is to join God’s Kingdom Work.
My bible reading is now in Acts where the first anointing of The Holy Spirit takes place. All of the disciples were anointed along with other committed believers. It was insightful to read this morning what I saw last night. I have had this inner voice in my head that condemns me for being who I am and I must keep me in control so I can do what God wants. God, instead, wants me to let Him have the me He created to complete what He wants from us working together. This is just what He was teaching the disciples during the time with His Son Jesus. Jesus didn’t control them, He taught them and then they were anointed with The Holy Spirit to turn their knowledge into action with the empowerment of The Holy Spirit.
God uses all personalities and abilities to His Honor and Glory. He doesn’t control as man uses control. He anoints and leads through His inspiration provided by The Holy Spirit. I loved seeing this so much more clearly and having that message in my head “replaced”.
By noontime yesterday I’d thought God was playing a joke on me about what would be in store for the day. Nothing was working out. And, the bookstore ended up being a couple shelves of books in this huge flea market-type store. As Kathy and I went back to the car I was hit with the thought that maybe there would be a Mardel in Springfield which is the city we flew into the day before? Sure enough, there was. We drove there and I had a wonderful time getting everything I was hoping to get for our Celebrate Recovery. Along with that, we found a great place to have supper. God is always good when we don’t try to set the day for Him and allow Him to lead it.
God is always working and I love watching His Work come together. One of the men back home wanted to talk last night so I called him when Kathy was gone from the room for about 20 minutes. I was amazed to hear what he had to say. Their marriage is hugely struggling, but God is having them take some steps I never thought would be done. I’m so happy to hear what he said. It is very difficult to trust God when we set the goal we want God to complete. However, if we can only keep our eyes on God letting Him lead our every step, we will never be disappointed. We will surely be surprised many times, but God’s Ways always complete His Work which eventually will bring Peace to our souls.
Kathy and I haven’t been to Missouri before and even though we have flown through parts of our country here, we have not taken time to examine it. We want to do that while we are here. As I was journaling this morning I was asking God what He wanted us to know to do while we are here? I recalled that our “Barnabas basket” for Celebrate Recovery was almost depleted of gift options so I checked to see if there is a good Christian bookstore here. Wouldn’t you know they have one and they also have a $.99 sale which ends today. When we go to Oklahoma to visit our kids we always hit their bookstore because it has a wonderful selection of good, bargain books. I can’t wait to see what is in store here.
I’m told Branson has many good shows to choose from. We have already booked “Jesus” for tomorrow night. We will see about the rest of the choices. It is fun to have a few days to relax and see a different part of our country. God is everywhere and He assures us of this each and every day!
Sometimes the journey takes us away and today is one of them. We are leaving early this morning for Branson, MO. Our original plan was to leave this weekend for a trip to Greece & Turkey which was one to follow the journeys of Paul. This is the 2nd time this trip has been cancelled. In lieu of this, we decided to go to Branson. It is a place we have talked about but never done, so here we go. I’ll be back tomorrow with a better writeup. The good news–God is in Branson too!
Earnie Lewis 