Paradise

Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise."  Luke 23:43

Just a few weeks ago, a friend of mine lost their mother in an accident. While having gone through the same loss, pain and heartache, I still struggle with finding the right words to offer to a friend who has lost someone that they love, in particularly a parent.  Despite not knowing what to say to comfort, I do cling to the peace in knowing that those of us who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ will live in heaven for all of eternity...  

Clearly, the hope of eternal life alone can give our suffering on this earth and our lives ultimate significance and purpose. Good does not always triumph over evil in this world. The wicked sometimes prosper. Tragedies and suffering that have no apparent meaning or reason behind them often come our way.

Knowing that Jesus has been raised from the dead gives us the sure hope of eternal life and the confidence that all wrongs will eventually be righted. We are sure that Jesus has been raised from the dead because of the testimony of the Word of God;  testimony that is confirmed by the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, the historical witness to the resurrection, and much more.

Knowing the family pretty well, I know that they are finding comfort knowing that he is most certainly spending eternity with his Heavenly Father, not battling cancer any longer, in a place so wonderful-paradise-that it defies all human comprehension. 

May Your Glass Be Filled

The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has chosen me.  He has commissioned me to encourage the poor, to help the brokenhearted, to decree the release of captives, and the freeing of prisoners.  Isaiah 61:1

As is what is normal for me, I always seem to feel energized after participating in worship at church.  I truly love my church family here in Knoxville and enjoy the fellowship.  The message is always on timely and needed and our praise and worship band brings it each and every service. 

With that said, a few days into this week and back into the grind, and this weekend's message is a distant and fading memory in my mind and life has returned back to its normal and breakneck speed.  In an effort to continue focusing on our Savior’s resurrection and what it means to all believers, I began pondering why God chose to come in the form of His Son in human flesh to this earth… 

I am convinced that in addition to showing us His love for us, it was also God's divine way of proving that He is truly concerned about our human needs.  Jesus walked and lived among us, God in flesh form, and experienced the same temptations, struggles, and triumphs we did.  He never once sinned, but during His time on this earth, came to a much greater understanding of the human condition.

No other 'god' offers the same love, understanding, and sacrifice that our loving Father freely gives to each one of us through His beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God!

Wake Up Dead Man

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead...  

1 Peter 1:3

Many people will at least agree that Jesus actually lived on this earth and died many years ago. The truth that is hard to swallow for some is that not only did He live and die, but He was resurrected and conquered the grave. Believing in His resurrection is paramount to our identity as believers and to who we are in our Christian faith.

Furthermore, Jesus is the Son of God, who died a gruesome death on the cross for our sins and then lived again victorious over death. What do you believe? Does it make you uncomfortable to hear the word resurrection? Do you believe that only our Creator could return Himself to life again?

True hope is found in Jesus' resurrection. Could you imagine the despair His faithful followers felt during the aftermath of His crucifixion? That same despair and hopelessness must be what it's like to not know that our Savior lives.

As a believer, we can face death with no fear, but understanding that the end of our time on this earth is only the beginning chapter in a book that is written in God's love that will never end. The best is yet to come as we too will conquer death with Jesus!

New Attitude

You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had, who though He existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied Himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature.  He humbled Himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death-even death on a cross!  Philippians 2:5-8

I was driving back to Knoxville after a meeting in Morristown, TN recently when a fairly large truck pulled out onto Jefferson Highway in front of me, nearly causing a collision.  Luckily, I remembered that my car had a Cokesbury Church magnet on my back bumper or I would have probably reacted a bit more harshly (possibly with a finger gesture.)  There was a steady stream of traffic yesterday and I am sure the driver of the truck had grown impatient in waiting, but to risk a major accident is just uncalled for.  It's no wonder the number of "Road Rage" cases in the United States keeps growing larger and larger each with every passing year.

Less than twenty-five years ago, "Road Rage" wasn't even a commonly used phrase.  So what's happened?  Are we so used to having things instantly that we have forgotten what it is like to be patient and to actually have to wait for something?  Coming from the miserable driving conditions that I became accustomed to when we lived in Atlanta, the driving conditions in Knoxville aren't really that bad.  Seriously, on a bad traffic day it only takes 20 minutes to drive across town.  Unfortunately, far too many people have no consideration for other people on the road nowadays.  Mix that together with advances in modern technology and we as a society don't understand the concept of steadfastness or patience.  I believe that some of us even have a God-complex of our own. "My schedule is the only one that matters."  "I must get to where I am going, who cares about the person I just cut off on the exit ramp?"  Sound familiar?

Take Paul's words about Jesus' attitude to heart...here is the Son of God, the One who can summon all the angels in heaven at any given moment, walking among us on this earth, going through the same struggles and trials that we all deal with to this very day.

Jesus did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped.  Even more amazing, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death on the cross! You can't make this stuff up...He was, is, and will always be the genuine article.  His attitude is the one we should all try and replicate in our own lives.  I need to remember this the next time I sit behind the wheel of my car to drive or when things are not going the way I'd like them to at home or at work, and so on and so on....imagine how different things would be if we all had Jesus' attitude!

I Started Something I Couldn't Finish

Since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude He had, and be ready to suffer, too.  For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin.  1 Peter 4:1

Have you ever been asked to do something or set out to achieve something but felt like giving up?  I know that I certainly have on many occasions and there are still things that I regret in which were, unfortunately, never completed.  When God calls us to a task, we should never give up.  Not only would you miss the blessing of finishing and reaching your goal, but not trusting God's promise may result in some sort of loving discipline from Him as well.

Just because God wants or asks you to do something does not mean that it will be easy.  The more important the task, the higher degree of difficulty it will often become.  Don't give up when the going gets tough.  Keep moving forward in faith; God is good to His people and will always answer the call to help!

Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own

I look up toward the hills.  From where does my help come?  My help comes from the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth!  The Lord is your protector; the Lord is the shade at your right hand.  The sun will not harm you by day, or the moon by night.  Psalm 121:1-2, 5-6

Have you ever wondered why we sometimes experience unrest when we are alone?  Some people, out of desperation, move in and out of relationships to fill the void of emptiness.  Others fill the void with substances like drugs and alcohol.  In my journey, I have been guilty of using both until I began to realize that I was created to be in fellowship with God.  In fact, all of us are created to be in fellowship with our loving Father.

Simply put, God did not make us to go through life on our own; He wants us to have relationships with other people, but the number one relationship He wants us to enjoy is one with Him.  When we attempt to have our needs met apart from God, our efforts are futile and lead only to major disappointment and despair.  God is the only One who is capable of filling the emptiness of the human heart.

Only God can meet our deepest longings and needs for the love that we all need.

Too Much Time On My Hands

You were wearied with the length of your way in trying to find rest and satisfaction in alliance apart from the true God, yet you did not say, there is no result or profit.  Isaiah 57:10

We have a close friend who always seems to complain about not having enough time to do all that they want to do.  I am occasionally guilty of feeling that way too, especially when there are deadlines to meet and what often feels like there are not enough hours in a given day.  

It's not that we don't have enough time, it's just that our simple lives have become too complex in doing trivial things that eat away at our schedules.  How or when does life move away from being simple to something so complex?  I believe that it is relative to where we are in our journey.

I remember thinking how stressful my life was during college; having to make an appearance in class in between Phish and Widespread Panic shows, going out four and five nights a week, waiting tables, and working as a disc jockey.  (Looking back, I really had it made!)  I didn't have the pressures of performing at work like I do now and I certainly did not have a family to support.  Then again, I wasn't exactly walking the straight and narrow path either, but that's another story for another day.

The above verse from Isaiah states "You are wearied out through the multiplicity of your ways."   It is widely accepted in today's society that more is always better, but at what cost?  Are we truly following God's will for our lives when we are so busy filling our days with our self-centered agendas and schedules?  I believe the answer is a resounding "NO."

Instead of making everything difficult and centered around ourselves, we should simplify and enjoy the peace and satisfaction that comes from following God's plan for our lives. 

"Fear, mismanaged, leads to sin. Sin leads to hiding. Since we've all sinned, we all hide, not in bushes, but in eighty-hour workweeks, temper tantrums, and religious busyness.  We avoid contact with God." -Max Lucado

C'est La Vie

“I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace.  In the world you have trouble and suffering, but take courage-I have conquered the world.”  -Jesus Christ (John 16:33)

If you are at all like me, then you like to work things out before their respective times have come.  It’s human nature to think ahead and plan for such; it’s ingrained in much of our thinking as we are all taught this by the world.  We must learn to live in the present day, as difficult as it is, and learn to accept the limitations of each day.

We must focus on the agenda for each day and this requires us seeking our loving Father to know what is part of His plan for us-remembering that there is a time for everything.   

A life focused on God’s Presence is not complicated; it’s one that is full of peace knowing that Jesus has overcome and conquered this messy world that we live in.  Thanks be to God!

Your Time Is Gonna Come

Dear friends, never take revenge.  Leave that to the righteous anger of God.  For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.  Romans 12:19

I am big fan of AMC Series “The Walking Dead.”  (No spoilers, in case you were worried!) As this season winds down, it got me thinking a lot about revenge...

Seeking revenge is a basic instinct of our sinful nature.  Whether we are cut off by someone in traffic or treated unfairly by a coworker or neighbor, our gut response is seek revenge.  God makes it clear that vengeance should be left to him alone.

He promises to make all wrongs right and to rid this world of evil on Judgment Day.  For a moment, think about Jesus as He hung from the cross, dying an excruciating and brutal death.  Imagine how the disciples that witnessed Jesus’ crucifixion first hand must have wanted to seek revenge.

Jesus gives us all the best example of responding to injustice by responding with patience and kindness and leaving the punishment and judgment to His Father.

Precious and Few

Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow within him.  John 7:38

Time is such a precious commodity. Our weekends are normally filled with trying to get chores done around the house, various sports: baseball, basketball and flag football, birthday parties, visiting with friends and family, church, Pokémon Go and multiple trips to either the grocery store or a restaurant or both. With such an action packed schedule, it can sometimes be hard to find some down time, let alone, quiet time spent with our loving Father.

As weird as it may sound, some of the only waking moments I have to myself are either spent jogging or working out in the early mornings, and it is during those times that I often talk to God.

The truth is that those few moments I spend in conversation with God are the most important of every day. When we spend time with God, His blessings flow into our lives like the streams of living water mentioned in today's passage.

By making time every day to spend with God, we glorify Him by delighting in His presence. We must learn to enjoy Him now and forever!!

Anything Is Possible

With God's help we will do mighty things.  Psalm 60:12

When I look back on problems that I have faced or trials that were extremely difficult, I have never felt like there was a single moment that God was not with me every step of the way.  If I am totally honest, losing my mother has been the most difficult and heart-breaking event of my entire life.  While I am blessed that she was in my life for 40 years, I miss her every single day and would give anything to just be able to pick up the phone and hear her voice again.  I have come to the realization that I cannot make it on my own and have leaned on my faith more than ever the past few years...

Despite some insurmountable odds, the problems we face may seem too large for us to handle on our own.  The good news is that there is no problem, circumstance, crisis or situation larger than our Loving Father.

While impossible situations make you understand how limited your resources truly are and exhaust your strength, they set the stage for God to do the unimaginable-all by using His supernatural power to work miracles,  show His love, offer forgiveness, meet needs, and change lives.

Some situations seem impossible, but with God, anything is possible.

Success Yourself

The Holy Spirit...bears us up in our weakness.  Romans 8:26

Our oldest son, Elliott (11 years old), goes to great lengths to 'fit in' with some of his older middle school buddies.  As adults, it’s not too much different for us either.  Think of how many people project false images of themselves through social media each and every day.

The truth of the matter is that I am tired of playing games and trying to be someone that I am not. There is a lot of freedom in just being accepted as we are without being facing the pressures of being someone we just cannot be.

God wants us to accept ourselves for who we are, and wants us to actually like who we are, despite our weaknesses. Everyone has weaknesses, but we must realize that God will never reject us because of them.

We must also be careful of placing too much value on our weaknesses because we will then underestimate our value. Our worth is not based on anything good or bad that we have ever done/are doing/will do, but on what God has already done.

We were purchased at a high price and yes we have all disappointed God, but God will never abandon us because He loves us just the way we are. So tell Satan to 'stuff it' the next time he tries to convince you that you don't measure up to someone else’s standards!

Faithfully

The Lord rewarded me for doing right.  He has seen my innocence.  To the faithful you show yourself faithful; to those with integrity you show integrity.  To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the wicked you show yourself hostile.  2 Samuel 22:25-27

When you think about faithfulness, what comes to mind?  A bride and groom exchanging vows on their wedding day? A parent being committed to always loving their children?  Being dependable to your neighbors and friends?  Giving your very best at work?

Faithfulness originated from our Loving Father...time and time again through the ages, He has shown His faithfulness to His people.

There is no substitute for the security in a relationship that stems from faithfulness and there is nothing that builds our confidence and eternal security more than knowing that God will always remain faithful to us!

Canary In A Coalmine

May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.  2 Thessalonians 3:5

Recently, I have been seeking God's wisdom and guidance about a specific situation,  and began to grow tired and frustrated because I just couldn't seem to hear any kind of answer.  I was hearing other people's insight without a doubt, but nothing from God.  It finally dawned on me that I was neglecting an important aspect of my faith walk by not digging deeper into His Word, which is the reason I was not feeling God's nudge either way.

God can and will speak His truths into our lives if we allow Him to.  When seeking Him, He will always move us closer to His will and His never ending love.  He always leads us to what is right, never wrong, and His answers to our prayers are clear cut, definitive, and absolute.

If you think you can truly seek God by only showing up to church on Sundays or just praying your personal wish list, save yourself some time and frustration by incorporating God's Word into your daily routine.

Everyday I Write The Book

“Stop your striving and recognize that I am God!  I will be exalted over the nations!  I will be exalted over the earth!”  Psalm 46:10

God sure has a unique way of speaking to me.  As stubborn as I am, He often hits me with the same truth(s) over and over again until I finally yield.  The past month has provided a wonderful season of Spiritual growth for me and the reoccurring themes that I have been focusing on are: ‘giving up control’ and ‘yielding to God.’  Almost daily, I have either read or heard something regarding the subject matter of ‘letting go and letting God.’

The key to giving up control in our life and submitting to God requires us to be patient and wait while remaining hopeful and trusting.  These virtues certainly do not come natural for me, as I would like to have some say over matters or hang onto a false sense of belief that I am actually in control of my life.  Our strength is found in our weaknesses and our patience in waiting for Christ to do His work, which is evidence that we honestly do trust Him.

Hoping is directly tied to our future inheritance in heaven, but the benefits of hope can be experienced right now.  Instead of trying to manipulate or ‘control’ every aspect of our lives, we must learn to just live each day simply looking for or just being aware of His presence.  Your eyes will be opened to a whole new world realizing that God is the one who is in control and his plans are for our good!

The Seeker

You will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.  Deuteronomy 4:29

Being a creature of habit, I like to keep to my same routines each and every day.  While I have maintained my normal exercise regimen and other morning rituals, I have not been digging deep into scripture too much.  In fact, I have felt convicted about not spending much time seeking God by reading my bible, so yesterday morning, I read Luke 11, and, as always, that verse was exactly the one I needed for the day that awaited me.

To ‘seek’ God means to pursue Him as the only source of definitive truth and wisdom.  Instead of letting our problems pile up and seeking God out of desperation, how different would our lives be if we sought Him first and foremost in all matters?

To seek God and His way puts us on the path of a life that is blessed and pleasing to Him. 

If You Leave Me Now

“My God, why have you forsaken me?” –Jesus Christ  Matthew 27:46

To put today’s passage of scripture into context, Jesus spoke the above words from Matthew 27 after He had been nailed to the cross for well over nine excruciating hours.  These words are certainly perplexing as one would cannot imagine how God’s beloved Son could be forsaken.  I believe that it was in those final moments on the cross that Jesus suffered spiritual agony as He was bearing the guilt of the world on Himself by becoming sin for all of mankind. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

There are have been many circumstances in where I have felt like I too, was forsaken or that God had abandoned me.  However-the reality is, God has NEVER left my side and NEVER will.  If you have ever felt this way, please understand that God is bigger than any circumstance you can ever possibly face in your lifetime.  More importantly, as believers in the body of faith, we also must learn to live above our circumstances as well.

Doing this will require us to spend more ‘focused’ time with Christ who is the One who overcame this world.  When we live in His presence, we are set free from the bondage to trouble and anxiety that is common in the world and little by little we lifted up above our circumstances.  We also begin to see our lives from Jesus’ perspective which, in turn, helps us to discern what is important an what is not.

Rest in the peaceful presence of our Loving Father knowing that he will never leave us or forsake us; we can all live with a joy that can never be taken away from us!

Helpless

Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.  Jeremiah 33:3

Thankfully, I have never had a first-hand experience with a near-death encounter, but I have always found interviews with people who have survived the unimaginable very interesting.

Living a “Spirit-filled” life begins with the realization that we are absolutely helpless and hopeless without the power of the Holy Spirit.  Until we have an understanding that God is in total control of our lives and everything else in the universe, we will never experience the true power of the Holy Spirit that dwells within each believer.

When we don't draw our strength from the Holy Spirit, we only use our strength and for that reason, we work in vein.  It may not take us experiencing some near fatal accident or miracle to understand that God is in control and we are helpless, but God is an expert at creating circumstances so that we find ourselves completely dependent on Him.

Hold Your Head High

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.  Psalm 42:5

Depression is one of the most common emotional ailments today.  In fact, there are more medications on the market to treat depression than almost any other disease.  There are times where I tend to feel a little ‘down and out’ about my current set of circumstances and it's easy to feel like God is distant and begin to lose hope...these past several months in particularly. 

One antidote for feeling 'down' is to meditate on all of God's wonderful  blessings and never-ending goodness that is recorded throughout the Bible.

It gives me hope to read about His promises and reminds me that God is who He says He is. Scripture also gives me proper perspective and helps me to focus my thoughts on God's ability to help me rather than on my inability to help myself.  That, my friends, is a good thing!!

Thorn In My Pride

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me...For when I am weak, I am strong.  2 Corinthians 12: 9-10

Just like Paul, we all have an area of weakness, or a "thorn in the flesh," as is mentioned in an earlier verse from this same passage of scripture from Corinthians. We do not know exactly what Paul's "thorn in the flesh" was, but it was something that caused the apostle to remain humble and stay in constant contact with God.

Too many people often claim that "trouble makes you stronger." I tend to disagree. Once we recognize our limitations, we must rely on Christ for our strength.  We must rely on God for our effectiveness rather than depending on our own energy and individual efforts.

I have faced many situations that have left me feeling completely helpless, weak, and humbled, to say the least.  I have reached the point of having no choice but to rely on Christ for His strength and He certainly carried me through and still is carrying me through to this very day.

Allow God to fill you with His power and you will be stronger than you ever can be on your own!!

Always Something There To Remind Me

Remember the things I have done in the past.  For I alone am God!  I am God and there is none like me.  Isaiah 46:9

Periodically, and especially during adverse or difficult times, it’s easy to forget about the 'good' things God has done in our lives.  

When I struggle trust in God, it helps me to look back and remember just how He has worked in my life before, which, in turn, makes it easier for me to come to Him first when I need help in the present.

There are several ways, in addition to remembering the work God has done in our past, to help keep our focus on Him today…

When we have a sense of community-such as regularly attending church and Sunday School, or even joining a Life Group, we are more likely to share what God has done and is doing in our lives with others. 

Reading His Word also helps us to gain a perspective of how He has worked throughout history and His plans to share His many blessings with future generations.

When we try a few of these simple steps, we help ourselves acknowledge God’s hand in the past, present, and the future!

St. Judy's Comet

"Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching." Proverbs 1:8

Both of our sons are masters in prolonging the nightly process of going to bed.   We have heard a litany of reasons over the past couple of years-everything from tummy-aches to bad dreams, Pennywise from the Stephen King novel 'It' (he watched the trailer for the movie) to simply just needing to go to the bathroom for the hundredth time. The other night, around 10 PM,  I heard footsteps in the upstairs hallway. When I finally went to check on the boys, I caught our youngest son, Elijah sitting down on the stairwell playing with some action figures.  He was somewhat embarrassed that I caught him sneaking around after we had put him to bed for the night, so I sat down on the stairwell and just talked with him.  When asked what he was still doing up, He simply replied, “Daddy, I am not tired.”  In a calm manner, I suggested that he get back into bed so that Mommy didn't hear him and he finally fell asleep a few moments later.    

Just like children have trouble understanding the importance of a good night’s rest, we too are in constant battle with God for control over our lives.  And being a loving parent, God is always communicating with us and for us to hear what He is trying to tell us, we must seek Him above all else in our lives.

You see, anything we pursue without talking to God about first, will most likely be in vein.  We must allow the Light of His Presence shine on all of our pursuits so that we can receive His help for the plans He has made for us or allow Him to change the desires of our hearts.

If we seek Him first and foremost, the rest of our lives will fall into place!

Under Control

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-which is your spiritual worship.  Romans 12:1

Our youngest son, Elijah, is into a variety of different things at the age of eight. In fact, Pokemon, Nintendo, Marvel and DC superheroes, and anything football and basketball.  Transformers are a mainstay and still 'all the rage' in the Fisher household and can be somewhat complex for a boy his age.  While the Transformers are totally awesome, the ones they make nowadays are sometimes even difficult for an old veteran like me to actually transform from a vehicle or aircraft mode to a robot and back... 

Just the other day, I was helping our Elijah transform his vast collection of robots and he grew impatient with me and wanted to help.  I kept telling him to be careful as he was forcing the plastic toy to where it would eventually break if he was not more careful.  After repeated attempts, he managed to break the arm off of one of the Autobots (the good Transformers) and was very disappointed.  I was eventually able to repair the broken toy and was also provided with the wonderful opportunity of teaching our son a valuable lesson.  In fact, I learned a little lesson from this incident as well…

You see, if you are like me, you have no problem giving God control over the ‘big’ or ‘important’ areas of your life.  I struggle, at times, to give God control over the small and day-to-day things.  I can face a number of situations and foolishly try and convince myself, “ You've got this, Will” or ”I can handle this on my own, God” and end up royally screwing everything up along the way.  Just like our son did with his broken toy, I will proceed to turn things over to God so that He can fix or repair the same things I thought I had under control. 

We must ask God to take control of our lives each and every day. One we have admitted our powerlessness and inability to manage our lives, we must come to a place in our faith where we decide to turn our will and lives over to God’s loving care.

Acknowledge the need for God’s guidance in our lives.  When He becomes our new manager, we must also choose to accept life on His terms as well.  God offers us a way to live that is free from our past, allowing us to enjoy new and wonderful experiences in accordance to His good and perfect will for our lives.  Thanks be to God!