Looking for an earlier Watchword?
- Your Promised Land - Your Promised Land: Are you standing on the east side of the Jordan river, looking toward your promised land that the Lord has laid out for you? Do you fear what you might encounter is that what prevents you from taking those steps that would bring you into that questions and gifted destination? What do you fear? Are you battling other giants that carry the names pride, money, lust, envy, or any other name that distracts you from what is important. Those giants play upon your mind and reduce your faith in God to an afterthought Continue reading
- The 99 - The 99: Chapter 15 of Luke is one of the most beloved chapters in the Bible because it is made-up of Jesus parables in response to challenges, difficulties, and accusations. Jesus strongly responded to the challenges relating them to discipleship and commitment. His strong challenge did not drive people away, in fact it attracted more and more to Himself. What He was telling them was something they longed to hear. I wonder if we feel the same way. Do we sometimes drift away because we want solid proof of what we believe and our faith is shaky, at best. Continue reading
- Doing the Impossible - Doing the Impossible: Read Romans 8:38-39, and be reassured that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ. Paul goes on to say that some of the most difficult things that we are confronted with in our everyday lives, that are exhausting, irritating, painful, causing us to fear, none of these is able to separate us from the love of Christ. Can we get that through our thick heads, and believe it, and act on it, day by day? Why is it we have a hard time with the reality of God’s presence, all around us and within? If on one level we say that God's love will hold fast to us, get us beyond these difficult times, and never leave us, then we turn right around and slip into cautiousness, fear, uncertainty, in other words we cave in to what Satan wants us to believe. Continue reading
- What Is a Gift? - What Is a Gift? Have you thought about the fact that we may not really know or understand or even accept the power of a gift? Maybe it's just a little thing of no consequence but there it is we have received something we didn't earn and didn't work for, and it's ours. Do we take credit? Do we look upon the tithe as a gift? Do we understand it's returning to God what he has already given us. It's not a gift to the church. It's not a gift at all, it's a recognition where all the graces in our lives have come from, the graces that surround our very lives in every form all of which have come from him. Continue reading
- America and the Cross - America and the Cross: In the early years of Christianity, the cross was a symbol of discipleship. In reality, the cross was an implement of slow torturous death, and becoming a disciple means that our daily walk with Jesus was a process of daily death to selfish desires and of the willingness to bear reproach for His name’s sake. If people revile us for being Christians, we, in turn, must bless them. You know this state of discipleship does not come over us, in a flash of a ‘born-again’ emotion, or an altar call. It is a process in which we all must grow. If we blow it, and we do, we must confess it to the Lord and seek to be obedient next time we have an opportunity to suffer for him. Continue reading
- Put Yourself in His Story - Put Yourself in His Story: In some ways, the Luke 18 scripture story is our dilemma, as well. We may understand the cost of our following Christ, but in the reality of our everyday lives, in our social or career interactions, most of us have a tendency to down-play our discipleship. Whether we are seeking Him out, or coming to Him with prayer requests, we come to Him as Savior. We come to Him because we believe, and in our belief, we are disciples. Continue reading
- Cost of Following Christ - Cost of Following Christ: Over the months, we have heard a great deal about polls and the census, and what they might reveal. George Gallup contends that fewer than 10% of evangelical Christians could be called deeply committed. Most of those who profess Christianity don’t know basic teachings and don’t act differently because of their Christian commitment. Fewer than 50% say they read their Bible once a week, or not at all. Being a disciple of Jesus can be hard. Salvation is both absolutely free and yet it costs you your very life. You receive it freely at no expense to you, but once you receive it, you have just committed everything you are to Jesus Christ. Absolutely free? Continue reading
- Jesus Prayer - Jesus Prayer: Several years ago I wrote a devotional where I listed a number of classics of Christian literature that were important for the walk of a Christian. One of the books listed was The Way of a Pilgrim. It was written by an unknown author, who tells the tale of a pilgrim wandering Russia sharing his beliefs and, in particular, the Jesus Prayer. As you read, you get the impression, that the author is that pilgrim on his own odyssey of faith. The story of the Pilgrim is our story, or, at least, could be our story. Continue reading
- Birds, Bugs and Weeds - Birds, Bugs and Weeds: I probably could’ve included sheep. Jesus liked to share parables, lessons and instructions from nature. Peter was in the process of being forgiven and I believe he knew exactly what Jesus was saying to him. It wasn't about sheep, but it was about being a shepherd. He was not saying that Peter was to convert to his own way of thinking, but he was saying see that followers of Jesus get nourished in the knowledge of him. Now about the birds and the bugs... Continue reading
- Where Is Your Sting? - Where Is Your Sting? Do we fear death? With some frequency, you may hear of people who, due to incurable illness, age, pain or loss of faculties, say they are “Ready to go.” They wish to leave this vale of tears. They may say they “long to be with Jesus”. I have a friend who is not in good health, has lost the spouse, and has expressed that very wish, to be with Jesus. This person has the will made out, funeral planned, all bills paid, insurance in place, and has said goodbye to those important in their life. I cannot walk in another’s shoes, or feel their pain, or know their thoughts. From our standpoint, it is hard to fully understand what is going on in their lives, or how their mind is working. The only gauge is our own, and the comparison is foggy, at best. Continue reading
- Keep Your Spiritual Balance - Watchword: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Thessalonians 5:16-17 So then, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you may do, do all for the honor and glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 Continue reading
- Thy Will Be Done - Thy Will Be Done: How do you pray? Do you pray as Jesus did: “If it be thy will, take this cup from me”, or do you skip the first part, about ‘thy will, and go right to the second, take this cup, this fear, this uncertainty from me. Lord, it’s uncomfortable. Help me. Is that us? In our desperation, in our inner discomfort, in our fear, do we make one last desperate plea to the fisherman, to Our Father who art in Heaven, or perhaps The Lord is my Shepherd? Of course, we do. He is our Father, our Lord and Savior, our Shepherd, the One we trust, the One we place all of our faith in. Continue reading
- This Very Moment - This Very Moment: This is the day the Lord made and I’m glad. Sure enough, just look at the sky! Oh, my goodness – Carolina-blue broken up with little puffs of white, lookin’ all the world like a Colorado mountain top. It must be close to 70° out, and the breeze, perfumed by fresh-cut grass, is heaven scented. I drive slowly out into the country with the windows down, taking in all this beauty, lovin’ every minute of it. But, that was a memory. As I write this the rain is pouring down, the wind is blowing and I just heard thunder. In my mind a rainy day has beauty of its own, often with just the touch of the rare ozone perfume. God never leaves us. We know that when we get up every morning. We may look out on a gloomy day, with hard work and difficult times ahead for us, but this is the day that God created just for times like that. This is when thankfulness floods our souls with peace and joy, knowing we are His. Continue reading
- Knock! - Knock! What’s next? The Lord God tells us, “You know what’s next, Mortals, knock!” I think it’s amazing, our Lord God has told us time after time, not to worry, not to fear, I will be there for you. You only have to seek and you will find. You only have to knock and it will be open to you. Yet we shake in fear for the future. We feel a sense of helplessness as we consider the evil occurring around us.Have you ever knocked? I mean really called upon the Lord when you did not know what to do, and did not know what to say, and it was frightening. Did you knock until your knuckles were bleeding, spiritually? Or did you fail to knock and later regretted that, later felt dirty because you did not ask of the Lord, and did not speak out. You let evil go by because you didn’t want to draw attention to yourself and now you have those second thoughts, those shameful second thoughts. What is wrong with us? Continue reading
- What’s Next?! - What’s next?! In the 1999 TV series, West Wing, there are multiple episodes where the President, played by Martin Sheen, after hearing all the discussion on a topic, asks the question, ‘What’s next?’ which signals the end of one topic, now is the time to move on to the next. What’s next? For the apostles, the followers of Jesus, and members of The Way, the temple is behind them. The tongues of fire and the wind is behind. What the Master had promised, the Holy Spirit, was now within them. Their brief time with Jesus on earth was over and, yes, they knew the lessons, the memories were clear; what they have seen and heard. But, now, there on that street in Jerusalem, the question: What’s next? Continue reading
- Favorite Passages - Favorite Passages: Proverbs 3:5-6 was a favorite of Glenn Hawkins, a long-time member of the men’s Bible Study group at our church. He spoke of how meaningful it was to him at especially difficult moments in his life. That testimony had an impact on my life and the lives of others. So, what is your favorite passage? What is there about those words that has drawn you? Does it bring you closer to God? Yes? When you consider those words, think of it as a prayer, a calling on your Father, the King of the Universe, your Lord and Savior, and that mountain that bothers you will move. Continue reading
- W W J D - WWJD: I'd like to pick up where I left off at our last Watchword, June 2, entitled "History Repeating?" The last sentence in that meditation was: “What would Jesus have us do?" So, this is what I think: Jesus said that the most important commandment was to love God with all of our being, and the second commandment was to love one's neighbors as ourselves. Jesus also taught us to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us. He was also explicit in his identification with those who are marginalized in society for he called them ‘the least of these’ and went on to say when you neglect them, you neglect Him. Clearly Jesus wants us to open our hearts to envelope everyone in his love. Continue reading
- History Repeating? - History Repeating? I've had reoccurring thoughts that comes and goes for the past several months. They’re bothersome thoughts, that if I gave them too much lead, it would cause sleepless nights. I hesitated to incorporate the focus of those thoughts in a devotional, so I tried to neatly put them aside and move on. Then, from another source, a nudge, a reminder, and I concluded that I’m dealing with a whispered message from of my Holy Spirit. As this year has unfolded it has become clear that the nation and the new presidential administration is going to have mass deportations of immigrants and refugees based on fear and bigotry against some of the most vulnerable residing in our country. Is this country acting in opposition to God? Continue reading
- Tough Stuff - Tough Stuff: 2 Peter 1:5 - For this very reason, make every effort to ADD to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; Powerful little word, ADD, based on what follows. Look at all those behaviors as a way to build up your faith. That powerful little word means that we have to do something. There are times when we are in danger of forgetting that we cannot do what God does, and that God will not do what we can. Did you get that? God will not do but we can. Oswald Chambers, in My Utmost for His Highest, makes the distinction clear: “We cannot save nor sanctify ourselves -- God does that. But God will not give us good habits or character, and he will not force us to walk correctly before Him. We have to do all that ourselves. That is the tough stuff that the Lord has told us we must do. In Philippians 2:12 God tells us that we must work out our “own salvation which God has worked in us.” The tough stuff. Continue reading
- That Terrible Day - That Terrible Day: That terrible day? Do you remember? Good Friday. That’s when our Lord and Savior, as he was dying, prayed the Prayer of Forgiveness. Do you remember what some of His last words were there on the cross? “Father, forgive them.” He was saying, “I forgive them and, Father, I ask you to forgive them and not to put this on their account, not to blame them.” His cry, his plea to God, was for us. Forgiveness is hard! No, it is impossible! There is no way to forgive and forget on our own. This is work that requires a partnership, you and The Holy Spirit. Continue reading
