Call On The Lord

Enduring Harsh Words

Proverbs 15:1-"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."


Why is it so hard to endure an unjust or unfair criticism? Why do we always have to defend ourselves no matter how ridiculous the charge? Often the problems we have with others simply escalate because we do not choose to forgive and let them go on in the Lord!

Remembering Our Fallen Heroes

Today is Memorial Day and I encourage everyone to take time to pause and remember all the men and women who have given the ultimate sacrafice for our freedom. God bless our veterans and God bless America.

Lord You Take Over

"Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, "A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Sea. It is already in Hazazon Tamar" (that is, En Gedi). Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him." (2 Chronicles 20:2-4)

Think about one difficulty you are facing right now. It might have to do with your family, your finances, conflicts at work or even an accident you recently had. All these things can be considered as armies coming against you. I know from personal experience that any circumstance that has overpowered me is an army coming against me. I might come up with my own ideas, methods or plans, but nothing I do is going to fix it. In desperation and anxiety, I cry out to the Lord. Crying out to the Lord as a last resort is a lot different than "resolving to inquire of the Lord" from the start (as Jehoshaphat did). God honored Jehoshaphat's prayer and then he honored the Lord by singing praises to God before the battle even began. Circumstances are difficult in life. Many times, we wonder what is really going on and why is the Lord allowing this to happen? All the Lord wants is for you to include Him. Circumstances can be hard but His answers to your prayers are not. Go to God today first. Tell Him, "Lord, I don't know what to do but I am looking to You." He not only hears, sees and answers, but He assures the victory.

Walk By Faith

“Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:27-29)

Years ago my heart sought peace, comfort, and joy. I had tried all the trappings of the world that I could. I was a part of the cool crowd one moment and then the next moment, I wasn’t. Yet, my heart wanted more than acceptance from the crowd; my heart wanted to believe. As a child I attended church and found it dull and boring. I found most of the words unnecessary and irritating. I mean, I believed that I was a good person, why would I ever need anything or anyone else? Why would I ever need Jesus?Years passed by and with them passed a sorted life that brought temporary happiness but no lasting joy and no peace, no peace for my hurting heart. The love of Christ came into my life and it came through his love displayed by others. That love of Christ made me stop and made me consider. And when the time was right I asked the Lord to forgive me and to be my Lord. The love of Christ displayed in others taught me that I could never be good enough and that I needed a Savior. I learned that I needed the righteousness of Christ and not my own; a righteousness freely given to me when Christ gave his life on the cross. And just as Jesus rose from the grave daily I rise and I’m a little bit different, a little cleaner inside, a little more like my Heavenly Father all because of faith in Him.That journey starts with faith. Faith is believing that Jesus Christ loves you and me enough to die for us. But the story doesn’t end there; Christ also rose from the dead so that we could believe that he is the Son of God, the Christ.Maybe today you believe in Him, you know his life, and you know his sacrifice. Yet, in the very core of your heart is Christ your Lord, your Savior, and your King? Many use the name ‘Christian’ to mark themselves with the religion of ‘Christianity’; using the name doesn’t make you a follower of Christ.Walking by faith in Him and trusting Christ alone does.

Too Busy for God?

Most people know the importance of spending time with God. But in the midst of life's daily activity, it's just too hard to find the time. Our schedules get filled, situations at work consume our thoughts at night and family and friends vie for attention with us and then we need to get some sleep at night to face another day's challenges in the morning. How do you find time for everything that needs to get done in 24 hours when you need more time in the day. What do we let drop from our schedule? What do we put on hold so we can concentrate on getting through our day? There can be many reasons for our busy schedules, but no matter what the reason may be, God demands our worship. The sisters Mary and Martha give us a good example of this when we examine their two lives. In Luke 10:38-42 it gives us the story of these two sisters. Martha was busy serving and keeping busy but was missing out on what was most important. Time with God. Mary on the other hand desired time with the Lord and this was the most important thing in her life at that moment. May we find the faith that Mary had and seek to worship God and not miss out on opportunities with Him.

We Are Not God

Isaiah 55:8-9-"My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

One of my favorite sayings regarding our relationship with God comes from the movie Rudy where Father Cavanaugh says to Rudy these words, "Son in over thiry years of religious study, I have discovered two incontrovertable truths; there is a God and I'm not Him." Never was a statement more true. No matter how we try to perceive God, he is still God and we are not. We must forever remember that the original, and still primary sin was to try to become like God in terms of knowledge and understanding. We are to know God, but we can never fully know about him. We are to take on his character, but we cannot approach his majesty. This is both exciting and frustrating. But the promise remains that one day we will be like him and see him as he is

IN CHRIST

John 3:3-"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

Being in Christ, and all that it means to Christian maturity and freedom, is the overwhelming theme of the New Testament. For example, in the six chapters of the Book of Ephesians alone there are 40 references to being in Christ and having Christ in you. For every reference to Christ being in you, there are 10 to you being in Christ. Being in Christ is the most critical element of our identity. But we weren't born in Christ. We were born in sin, thanks to the first Adam. What is God's plan for transforming us from being in Adam to being in Christ? We must be born again (John 3:3). Physical birth only gains us physical life. Spiritual life, the eternal life Christ promises to those who come to Him, is only gained through spiritual birth (John 3:36). What does it mean to be spiritually alive in Christ? The moment you were born again your soul came into union with God in the same way Adam was in union with God before the Fall. Your spiritual union with God is complete and eternal because it is provided by Christ, the last Adam. As long as Christ remains alive spiritually, you will remain alive spiritually--and that's for eternity. Contrary to what many Christians believe, eternal life is not something you get when you die. You are spiritually alive in Christ right now. That's how you got to be in union with God, by being born again spiritually. You'll never be more spiritually alive than you are right now. The only thing that will change when you die physically is that you will exchange your old earthbound body for a new one. But your spiritual life in Christ, which began when you personally trusted Him, will merely continue on. Salvation is not a future addition; it's a present transformation. And that transformation occurs at spiritual birth, not physical death. God's Word promises, "He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life" (1 John 5:12). Eternal life is something you possess right now because you're in Christ. Believe it. Rejoice in it

Tried, Tested and True

Job 23:10-11-"He knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside."

How we long for this to be our true confession. We are not yet gold, but long to be. We are not yet fully following his steps, but are trying. We have tried not to turn aside, but we sometimes falter. Thank God for his grace until our intentions and desires are fulfilled!

Living By Two Principles

Matthew 22:37-39-"Love the Lord you God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself."


Some things are just not very complicated. Living for Jesus can be boiled down to two principles: love God with everything I am and have, and love others and treat them as I would like to be treated. Not too hard to understand. I guess it's living it that is the challenge!

The Light Unto Our Path

Psalm 119:105-"Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

We live in a world where the flip of a switch instantly lightens or darkens a room. The lamps in biblical times, on the other hand, burned brightly but required proper tending. If not cared for, they would become a dwindling flame. God's Word uses the metaphor of a lamp to teach us about guidance for our lives. And it provides the opportunity for some graphic applications of this teaching. Earnestly seeking the clear teaching of God's Word allows the lamp to burn brightly and us to stay on the path. The light dims when we stay away from God's Word and the fellowship of believers. It goes out when we serve another master. Sometimes we overlook the obvious: God's will is expressed by His Word. God's will is revealed to us in His Word. There is no substitute for being "diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15). The Bible is a light to your path.

Being God-Centered

Luke 9:1, 2-"He [Jesus] called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons, and to heal diseases. And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God, and to perform healing."

Notice how Jesus equipped His disciples for ministry. He knew that when they began preaching the kingdom of God and healing the sick, demonic powers would bring opposition. So He specifically gave them power and authority over demons. Later Jesus sent out 70 of His followers on a similar mission, and they "returned with joy, saying 'Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name'"(Luke 10:17). These missionaries were spiritually in tune enough to know that demons existed and that they were a force to be reckoned with in their ministry. Jesus' followers had been eyewitnesses as the evil spirits opposed the Master, and they probably anticipated the same treatment. Perhaps they even started out on their mission with pangs of fear and doubt about encountering demonic resistance. But they came back astonished at the victory they experienced over evil spirits. But Jesus quickly brought the issue of spiritual conflicts into perspective: "Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven" (Luke 10:20). Jesus sent out the 70 to preach the gospel and to heal, but all they could talk about when they came back was how they sent the demons running. "Don't be centered on demonic spirits," Jesus replied. "Be kingdom-centered, be ministry-centered, be God-centered." That's a good warning. As you learn to exercise authority over the kingdom of darkness in your life and in the lives of others, you may be tempted to see only the spiritual battle, looking for demons behind every door. But it's truth which sets you free, not the knowledge of error. You are not called to dispel the darkness; you are called to turn on the light. You would have no authority at all if it weren't for your identity as a child of God and your position in Christ.

What Is There To Fear?

1 John 4:18-"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. "

What is there to fear if God sent his Son to die to redeem us? What is there to fear if we cannot be separated from the love God has for us in Christ Jesus? What is there to fear except ourselves? As we love God and his children, we are reminded by his love for us, which is far better than our meager love for others. Rather than run from him in fear, we bow before him in thanks, knowing that he who hears our prayers is also he who loves us and stops our fears

It Happens Every Spring

This week marked the beginning of the 2010 baseball season with the start of spring training. My beloved hometown team, the St. Louis Cardinals opened spring training in Jupiter, Florida this week and I am excited about the 2010 season. Manager Tony LaRussa and the Cardinals should do well this year and I am expecting great things from the Cardinals. They won the 2009 NL Central Division and I am looking forward to bigger things in 2010. GO REDBIRDS!!!!

Keeping An Honest Account

1 John 1:8-"If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us."

We deceive ourselves when we say we have no sin. The Scripture doesn't say that we are sin; it says that it is possible for us to sin and for sin to reside in our mortal bodies (Romans 6:12). We are not sinless saints; we are saints who sin. It's important to keep honest account of our failures and pick up our cross daily. When we become aware of a discrepancy between our identity and our behavior, we must confess it and deal with it. The person who deceives himself by ignoring these sinful discrepancies and allowing them to build up is headed for a great fall. I spent the early years of my ministry in earthquake-prone Southern California and lived through several earthquakes. Like many people who lived there and those that still reside in California, we keep hearing about "the big one," which is thought by many to be inevitable along the San Andreas fault. Whenever Californians experience minor earthquakes (up to about 4.0 on the Richter scale), they may be frightened by them a bit, but they also see them as a good sign. These little tremors mean that the plates in the earth's crust beneath them are shifting. As long as the crust is adjusting this way, it's unlikely that "the big one" will hit. It's when they don't get any minor earthquakes for several months or years that the danger of a major, devastating quake increases. Similarly, living in the light, holding ourselves accountable to God, and confessing and dealing with sin on a daily basis prevents the major spiritual crises from building up in our lives. If we keep saying, "I don't have any sin," or if we fail to acknowledge our shortcomings and settle our differences with people as God convicts us of them, we're in for "the big one." We will eventually lose our health, our family, our job, or our friendships. Unacknowledged sin is like a cancer which will grow to consume us.

Nothing Separates Us From God's Love

Romans 8:38-39-"I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither present nor the future, nor powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is ours in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Separation is something we fear whether it's from a child, a parent, a sibling, a spouse, a friend, or from God. Because Jesus bore the separation from God, becoming and going to the cross, we can know we won't have to ever be separated from God's love.

Message of Love

1 John 3:11-"This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. "

The original message - love one another. The enduring message - love one another. The most convicting message - love one another. The most difficult message - love one another. We are commanded by the Lord Jesus to love one another as He loved us and loving others means we look beyond faults and differences and learn to love those that might seem different or even unlovable to others. That is the comman from the Lord and the greatest attribute of God in our lives in when we love others.

God Loved Us First

1 John 4:10-"This is love: not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."

He loved us first! He offered his Son to save us regardless of our decision to believe or ignore his grace. We are given the ability to accept or reject the death of his Son as the sacrifice for our sins. The only condition, as 1 John 2:1-2 emphasizes, is that we realize that he died for everyone else in the world, too!

The Accuser of the Brethren

Revelation 12:10-"The accuser of our brethren . . . who accuses them before our God day and night."

Next to temptation, perhaps the most frequent and insistent attack from Satan to which we are vulnerable is accusation. By faith we have entered into an eternal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. As a result, we are dead to sin and alive to God, and we now sit with Christ in the heavenlies. In Christ we are important, we are qualified, we are justified. Satan can do absolutely nothing to alter our position in Christ and our worth to God. But he can render us virtually inoperative if he can deceive us into listening to and believing his insidious lies, accusing us of being of little value to God or other people. Satan often uses temptation and accusation as a brutal one-two punch. He comes along and says, "Why don't you try it? Everybody does it. Besides, you can get away with it. Who's going to know?" Then as soon as we fall for his tempting line, he changes his tune to accusation: "What kind of a Christian are you to do such a thing? You're a pitiful excuse for a child of God. You'll never get away with it. You might as well give up because God has already given up on you." We have all heard Satan's lying, hateful voice in our hearts and consciences. He never seems to let up on us. Many Christians are perpetually discouraged and defeated because they believe his persistent lies about them. And those who give in to his accusations end up being robbed of the freedom that God intends His people to enjoy. The good news is that we don't have to listen to Satan's accusations and live in despair and defeat. Satan is not your judge; he is merely your accuser. When Satan's accusations of unworthiness attack you, don't pay attention to them. Instead respond, "I have put my trust in Christ, and I am a child of God in Him. I have been rescued by God from the fire of judgment, and He has declared me righteous. Satan cannot determine a verdict or pronounce a sentence. All he can do is accuse me--and I don't buy it."

Sign of a Real Disciple of Christ

John 13:34-35-"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you , so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

How do you recognize Jesus' followers? How do you find Christians? Jesus said they love each other just as he loved the disciples. In the immediate context, this means he is willing to give sacrificially and extravagantly by dying for them on the cross, and he is also willing to love selflessly and practically by washing their feet. His ministry reveals he also will do almost anything in between extravagant and practical. Imagine if we all read the Gospels, and committed to love each other in the same way Jesus showed his love to his disciples!