Monthly Archives: June 2015

Remain Steadfast…..

Psalm 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Have you ever had one of those days? I think we all have. what about one of those weeks? Any takers? What about one of those months or years? No matter who you are, what walk of life you come from, I’ll venture that everyone falls into at least one of those instances. Moreover, I’ll wager that there are many out there who can identify with several if not all of those circumstances. There are those seasons in our lives,as the old saying goes when, “The hits just keep on coming.
This was going to be a message about remaining strong. it was going to be a message about trusting the promises of God no matter what this world throws at us. This was going to be a message about making Psalm 51:10 our prayer; asking God to chasten our hearts and make them clean of all unrighteousness.
Psalm 139:23
Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties;
The amazing part is, the longer I am blessed to share the word of God, the more I learn. in this case, this message will be about, standing strong in the Lord, trusting in His promises, and asking for a clean heart devoid of anything but God. The purpose, for lack of a better word, will be  different, will be broader.
In light of the decision Friday by the Supreme Court to legalize same-sex marriage across the nation, I must tell you, I no longer anticipate religious persecution in America as some distant event that will happen eventually. I know it is coming. i also know that the body of Christ must be ready to face it with the knowledge that Jesus is in charge and is with us every step of the way.
John 16:33
33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will[a] have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
I quote that verse often because it is my favorite. It is a not so subtle  reminder that I am in charge of nothing and that Jesus has already won. Jesus Christ has beaten the devil and sin and death; that is already done. No matter what the courts of man decree, Jesus Christ is Lord of the universe.
Revelation 21:6
And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give ofthe fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.
I have said it before and I will say it again and again, and again and yet, again after the state classifies it as hate speech: Jesus Christ was here before it all started and He will be here when it is all over. His promises can and must be trusted; He remains on the throne!
So what must we do? The law is passed and the ramifications are farther reaching then any of its proponents will admit publicly. Where does that leave us? Where does that leave the church?  We are where we always have been, in the palm of God’s hand. It does not leave us to sit idly by and watch. It should stir us to action, righteous action. Scripture tells us to do all things as unto the Lord. So, if you don’t serve, begin, if you do serve, pray that your role would be expanded and in all things preach the gospel!
As I said, I believe that on the heals of this ruling, we will see full-blown, no holds bared, persecution of christians in the United States of America. Remain steadfast in the Lord. We must not allow our flesh to control us. We can not get down in the mud with those that would incite us to battle.
Matthew 10:16
16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
The storm is no longer coming, it is here. Remain steadfast in the word, diligent in prayer, and safe in the knowledge the God is still on the throne! Remember also that the great commission was not to preach to the choir. Jesus never said, ” Build a church, invite like-minded people, and hang out there affirming yourselves.” No. Jesus said, “Go forth!” (Matthew 28) That is what we must do.
As you step forward, remember those people on the steps of the court. Some profess faith in Christ. I pray that God would apprehend their hearts and bring them to a saving faith in Jesus: A faith rooted in relationship born of humility and repentance. The mission is the same as it has always been, reach the lost. Remain steadfast and trust in Jesus!
As the frustrations and disappointments build, remain steadfast in the Word. As the tears fall and the pain intensifies, know that He is there for you. Reach out your hand and touch Him. He is already holding you! Jesus knows your pain. He knows your sorrow for He has felt it too. Tomorrow will come and His mercy will be new. God keeps His promises. He sent His Son to die for you. RemaIn steadfast……
Grace & Peace,
LD
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Why?

Ephesians 4:26

“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath,
I have started this weeks post multiple times; with no success. In light of this weeks tragic events, I felt the need to wait. You see, I’m angry. The very last thing I wanted was to respond in my flesh and give you the word of “Larry.” My words are not what will heal this world, my words don’t solve problems, and my words do not save souls. Only word of God to repentance and salvation by the blood of Jesus Christ can do that. Yet, even though i know that, I am angry and that is okay.
The hardest thing to do as Christians, I think, is to live in this world and not be of it. When tragedies like Sandy Hook, Columbine, Aurora, and Charleston strike, it is hard not to react in our flesh. I am not ashamed to admit that this week I have struggled in my flesh. As this latest tragedy unfolded, and details came to light, I got angrier and angrier and lost focus. That, friends, is exactly what the devil wants. He wants us to give in to our fleshly desires and take our eyes off of Jesus. Then, through compromise, he can rip us off. for those who have been saved, salvation is no longer an issue; living life in this world separate from the purpose the Lord has for each of us is.
1 Peter 5:8
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
The devil is very real. It is at times like this, when tragedy strikes that he is on the march. He looks for compromise and we must not give in. I have heard  from many of you this week and the overwhelming sentiment is that you are tired. You are tired of candlelight vigils, prayer services for the families of the lost, tired of tears and tired of pain. For what it is worth, I am with you. I too am tired.
The good news is, we know the answer to the overarching question that comes up every time something of this scope occurs; we know why. It isn’t because of lax gun laws or something as simple and petty as racial hatred. Let me add, it also is not simply because the shooter was not in his right mind although I will agree with that. The reason this happened is because the devil is real and true, dark, unexplainable evil exists in this broken sinful world.
When we view the world as it is, broken and separated from God, the world of Jesus encourage our hearts.
John 16:33
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
In Christ there is the ultimate victory of sin and the devil. When we view the word as Jesus did, we can pray for our enemies and love them.
Matthew 5:43-48

[ Love Your Enemies ] “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven;
So as our flesh cries for justice, remember what Jesus taught us. Love our enemies and bless those who curse you. for our battle is not with one another but with principalities and powers.
Ephesians 6:12

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
So, as we fight this spiritual battle, I pray that we would remain steadfast. This is not a battle we can win in our own strength. It is, in fact a battle that has already been fought and won; one time for all time.  Be angry but do not stray from the truth that Jesus is with you and has overcome the world and all the  evil it represents.
My prayers go out to the people of Charleston. We are with you. May the abounding love of Jesus chase away the darkness and bring you peace.
Grace & Peace,
LD
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Isolationism – It’s not What Jesus Taught Us

Luke 5:31-32: 31 Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
As I write this weeks post, I am apprehensive and cautious. I pray that my words and thoughts do not come across as merely opinion. The purpose of this publication is to share the gospel of Jesus Christ, a purpose I am called to and therefore take seriously.  As I watch the state of the world via the news media, I am noticing an alarming trend on the part of the church. As a body, the church is stepping further and further away from the world at large. Like a flashlight with dying batteries, I fear that the light of Christ is growing dim, flickering, and will finally go out, leaving the world in the darkness of sin and hopelessness.
The world is a hard place to exist. I grant that. For a Christian to live and work in a world where everything is upside down and counter to the teachings of Christ; that is impossible – without a trust in Jesus that is total. I will also grant that as flawed human beings, total trust in Jesus is hard to say the least. Our flesh, it seems, gets in the way at every turn.
So, many Christians retreat. They step away from the world at large and step into the culture of Christianity The culture of Christianity? What is that? It is our own counter-culture. We have our own tee-shirts, our own music, art books, television shows, and even our own hangouts. Outside of going to work everyday, it is entirely possible for Christians to minimize to almost nil their involvement with the world.
The state of the world today makes this option attractive. With the persecution of Christians on the rise around the world and secularism the, “religion.” of choice in America today; the instinct is to run and hide. Putting on out tee-shirts, tuning in Christian radio or the latest podcast (always with our ear buds in) we pick up our bible and head to church; creating our own Christian cocoon, salvation, sanctuary, or, if you prefer, holy huddle. From here, we can view the world at large from a distance. We can pray with great piety for the lost and broken, for the state of our nation, its leaders and the world in general – and never get our hands dirty! Sound familiar? It should. It is the same thing the Pharisees, who were highly religious, were guilty of. In Luke 5:30, they ask. “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
In Jesus’ day tax collectors were considered the lowest of the low. They were Jews who collected taxes from their own people for the occupying Roman Empire. They were considered traitors, not only to the Jewish people but to God himself. Matthew, a disciple of Jesus, was a tax collector who, in one moment heard the call of the Lord to, “Follow me,” left his tax collection table (a picture of repentance) and did as he was commanded.
Luke 5:27: 27 After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” 28 So he left all, rose up, and followed Him.
Matthew was so excited he threw a dinner party and who did he invite? The people he knew of course; other tax collectors – other sinners. So, there is Jesus, in midst of he broken and hurting. Lives are being changed, hearts are being won for the Lord, how glorious! Then, the buzz kill. the religious leaders say, “Hey, those people are dirty sinners they are uneducated in the law, why do you fellowship with them?”
The question is, are Christians today guilty of the same thing? Do we pop our ear buds off pausing the final stanza of Amazing Grace, just long enough to go out of our way to avoid interaction with the, unclean?  Instead of sharing the love of Jesus, too many times we become part of the division and very Godlessness that is destroying the world.
The pharisees of today don’t even ask the question, Why. They jump immediately to the statement, “I won’t.” I won’t – do business with this company because they support gay rights. I won’t – have a conversation with this person because they live an immoral lifestyle. The division goes even deeper. It exists within Christianity itself.There are sects of the faith that will not even interact with one another. The grips are often not deal breakers but there is still a division.
No matter the source of the division, Jesus wants us out there in the midst of it, not in our little holy huddle preaching to the choir. When Jesus ascended into heaven, he sent us a helper.
Acts 1:8: 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me[a] in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Jesus knows we can not do as he commands in our own strength. The Holy Spirit dwells inside every believer. He knows our needs before we do. If we walk with Jesus and view the world through spiritual eyes, He will show us what we need to do and be with us as we do His will.
So rather than stay where it is “safe” step out into the world, on to the waves. That’s where Jesus is. We are at war. It is a war for souls. Jesus said in Matthew 9:37: Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.  Will you leave you isolation and become a laborer for Christ? It won’t be easy. it might even be dangerous. Jesus died for you. Are you prepared to give it all for Him?
Grace and Peace,
LD
*If you would like to know more about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, email me at savedIIserve@gmail.com and let me know! I will be happy to lead you through what the bible says about salvation and accepting Jesus Christ as your savior.*
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The Jesus Gap

James 1:21
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
I spoke to my best friend this week by phone. in the process of catching up, the conversation turned as usual, to the state of the world at large. He expressed his discouragement with the world and its current state; I agreed and then he said, “If the world just knew Jesus we wouldn’t need to worry about all of this.”
That statement has stuck with me. it is  profound in it’s simplicity, ” If the world just knew Jesus….” If indeed!  The bible tells us that God made us in His image.
Genesis 5:1: This is the book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God.
We were created by God. We did not come out of a pile of green ooze, nor did we evolve from an ape. God made us and sanctified us (set us apart) for His purposes.
Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;
Before you were born I sanctified you;
I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”
God knew each one of us before He even placed us into our mothers womb; believer and non believer alike! That should astound you. It astounds me! Not only did God know us but He set us apart; each one of us, so that we might do great things for the kingdom. We have also been ordained by God to speak His truth as the prophets of old have done, all before we were even born! All of this is what makes my friends statement so profound, “If the world just knew Jesus…..” It already does!  our souls were created by God and know Him. Author AW Tozer in his book,  In Pursuit of God, puts it this way,
“Christian theology teaches the doctrine of prevenient grace which simply stated mean this, that before man can seek God, God must first have sought man.”
So why then is there such rampant unbelief in the world today? If God made us and our souls long to return to a right relationship with their creator, then why is the world such a train wreck?
Romans 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
When Adam and Eve fell in the garden sin entered the world. The wages of that sin, according to scripture, is death (Romans 6:23). Sin causes us to be separated from our creator. that separation, that gap is what our soul longs to bridge. There is only one bridge only one way to close or cross over that gap a saving faith in Jesus Christ!
1 Timothy 2:5
For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,
So, if that is the case, if the human soul longs for a right relationship with its creator, then what is the hold up? Why is there so much discord in the world? The first answer is the presence of sin in the world and the other answer is free will. God created us in his image and gave us free will; the ability to choose for ourselves. He could force us to come to him but what kind of relationship would that be? I can assure you, not the relationship God desires. God wants us to come to Him willingly and give ourselves to him.
Do you find yourself searching? Do you consistently try different things to no avail? Nothing you try, nothing you experiment with, no one you spend time with fills the gap? That’s  because the gap that you are trying to bridge, the emptiness you fee can only be satisfied by a true and abiding relationship with Jesus Christ.
Jesus bridges the gap--the ONLY Way
 The cross of Christ and the blood He shed on it is the only way to God. We must humble ourselves and repent of our sins. Here is how to accept Jesus God’s way.
  • Realize ( that you are a sinner)

Romans 3:23: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Isaiah 53:6: All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

  • Recognize (that Jesus died in the cross for you)

Romans 5:8: 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

1Peter 3:18:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us[a] to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,

  • Repent (Turn away from the things that don’t please God)

John 14;6: 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Romans 10:6(not shown): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

  • Receive:

John: 1:12:

12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

Revelation 3:20:

20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

  • Remain

Psalm 7:17: I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness,
And will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.

The simple fact of the matter is the man Jesus Christ was uniquely qualified to suffer and die in our place. He was the only sinless man in history. As both God and man His sacrifice washes away our sin and permanently bridges the gap between us and our creator. The gift is free! Accept it.

Grace and Peace,

LD

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