Free

 

Through Christ you have come to trust in God.  And you have placed your faith and hope in God because He raised Christ from the dead and gave Him great glory.  1 Peter 1:21

When you think about it, our salvation is much the same as a prisoner on death row who is suddenly pardoned or set free.  We were all one time spiritual prisoners facing eternal death because of our many sins, but God gave us all the ultimate hope by forgiving our sins so that we can spend our eternal lives in heaven with Him. Let me say this here and now-whoever is behind me when I leave this earth and am at the Pearly Gates is going to be waiting a long time as I will be answering for the things I have done in my lifetime... 

When life seems to be impossible, God provides us with eternal hope. Without hope, we would simply give up.  Hope only requires that we trust in the One who is able to give it to us…Jesus Christ!

Praise be to God for His never-ending grace and mercy!

Stairway To Heaven

 

“Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God; trust also in Me.” –Jesus (John 14: 1-2)

Jesus makes it clear that the most direct path to heaven is to walk the high road with Him.  Unfortunately, many of us veer off path.  The good Lord knows that I have veered 'off-road' too many times to count over the course of my lifetime.  

When we are following God's lead, it is by no means a cakewalk, but it's a submission to God's lead, step by step. The low road is twisting and turning, dark and ominous, and one that is easy to end up travelling on.

We may find ourselves on the wrong road by relying on our own strength and limited resources.  It’s when we place our absolute trust in Jesus Christ that He makes our paths straight and His glorious light shines bright!

God Give Me Strength

 

All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.  We also pray that you will be strengthened with all His glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need.  Colossians 1:10-11

With the ongoing push to save our environment and reduce our dependence on foreign oil, I have started noticing electrical charging stations for cars that run off of rechargeable batteries popping up everywhere. My brother-in-law even owns an electric car which doesn't require a single drop of gasoline.

Just like a rechargeable battery, we too must learn how to tap into sources of power to find our strength to persevere through life.  We are all unique in the fact that we all have an unlimited power source in God, as believers.  You see, God is working in and through each and every one of us, at all times.

The more we become obedient and in tune with God, His power will strengthen us and ignite our ability to persevere; not just survive, but persevere with great joy!

Thanks be to God!!

Fear Of The Dark

 

We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to Hus purpose for them.  Romans 8:28

Our youngest son, like most kids his age, is scared of the dark.  In an effort to convince him to sleep through the night without a lamp on in his room, I attempted to point out some items to give him peace of mind.  For starters, our master bedroom is right across the great room/kitchen.  No one would be able to sneak past our room without us hearing it.  We also have a security system that is armed at night before bedtime, so it is highly unlikely that someone would be able to enter our home without triggering the alarm.   

All of these things are great, but we are still must leave a light on in the hallway to get Elijah to go to bed at nighttime.  This reminds me of the way many believers sadly live their lives as well; in fear. 

We have no reason to live in fear once we understand that Jesus died on the cross to spare us from eternal punishment and the free gift of eternal life puts the troubles of this world into perspective.

We can live with peace of mind knowing that our eternal futures are secure.

No matter what happens to us in this lifetime, we can have peace knowing that the trials and troubles we face won’t last forever…

The Long And Winding Road

 

“Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God; trust also in Me.” –Jesus (John 14: 1-2)

Jesus makes it clear that the most direct path to heaven is to walk the high road with Him.  Unfortunately, many of us veer off path.  The good Lord knows that I have veered 'off-road' too many times to count over the course of my lifetime.  

When we are following God's lead, it is by no means a cakewalk, but it's a submission to God's lead, step by step. The low road is twisting and turning, dark and ominous, and one that is easy to end up travelling on.

We may find ourselves on the wrong road by relying on our own strength and limited resources.  It’s when we place our absolute trust in Jesus Christ that He makes our paths straight and His glorious light shines bright!

Speak To Me-Breathe In The Air

 

The Lord is close to all who call on Him, yes, to all who call on Him in truth. Psalm 145:18

There are few things I enjoy more in life than having one of my sons seek out my very limited wisdom.  Usually, the questions range from topics such as music, comic books/super heroes, Star Wars, and Auburn athletics, but nevertheless, it still warms my heart.

Our prayers to God are received in much the same way.  Prayer is our way to share an intimate conversation with our heavenly Father.  It’s through prayer that God makes His love and resources available to us.

Just as we enjoy being with the people we love, the more learn to enjoy spending time with God, the more we get to know Him and understand just how much He truly loves us.

Thanks be to God!!

Control

 

I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.  For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.  Romans 7:18

I certainly struggle with control issues- wanting to be in control of certain situations in my life, relationships, my children, work, etc.  The problem is, (thankfully) I am not God and only He can be in control of our lives. 

The apostle Paul even struggled with his humanness and sin, but he never let is interfere with his commitment to do God’s will.  You see, we must admit that we are powerless on our own and also admit that our lives have become unmanageable as a result.

The more I grow in my faith the more I understand that this is the foundation of our walk with Jesus-letting go, and letting God. 

Panic

 

In Your hand is power and might; in Your hand it is to make great and give strength to all.  1 Chronicles 29:12

In this new year, I have made a conscious effort to respond more than I react to difficult circumstances.  This is something that will take quite some time to achieve, but the above passage has brought me peace and served as a simple reminder of God being in total control of every situation and circumstance.

Any of my family, friends, or co-workers will tell you that I have been known to over-react on occasion.  For instance, I thought the world was coming to an end last year when I contracted a sinus infection for a couple of days.  Seriously, I know that I am a very reactive person and in the heat of a moment, I sometimes forget that God is in control, not just over my life, but over everything.

Right before the end of last year, I faced a small scare.  Instead of my usual (panic and ‘freak out’) I instead turned to the Bible and prayed with thanksgiving and praise.  God filled me with a sense of peace and calmed my nerves and everything turned out to be better than fine.

Thankfully, we have a God that is bigger than you and me and the problems we face.  Turn to Him in all situations and never forget that He is in control!

Tightrope

 

The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. Deuteronomy 33:27

The more we realize that God wants us all to Himself, the more we understand how much we need to wean ourselves from our other worldly dependencies. 

Some people (myself included) find their security in all of the wrong places-their jobs, financial status, homes, etc., but we can only find true security in God alone.

Depending on God is at times like balancing ourselves on a tightrope, but rest assured that His loving arms are our safety net.  All the while, we must fix our eyes on Christ, without looking left or right, up or down.  Don't be afraid of falling either as there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God!

Closer to the Heart

Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.  Acts 16:31

Faith is much more than simply believing; it is also entrusting your very life to what you believe. 

Take for example, our children.  They trust that the food that we prepare for them is safe to eat.  They trust that we have let the food that is oven-hot, cool down before serving it to them, as well.   They trust us to provide them with all needs-clothing, shelter, heating/air, television, etc. 

Our faith in God works much the same.  It means we have to be willing to trust him with all of our lives, not just select parts.  When we are willing to faithfully follow him, we are willing to adhere to his guidelines for living, found in the Bible, because we have a conviction that his will for our lives is the best.  

We must also be willing to endure some ridicule and even persecution for our faith, but God is who he says he is and he promises us all eternal life in heaven.

The Grand Illusion

 

“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)

People, myself included, often go to great lengths to live problem-free lives.  I typically have a nightly routine that I follow so that my mornings are more manageable in helping my wife get the boys ready and out the door and off to school.  Regardless of how much I prepare for smooth sailing in the mornings, something unexpected always seems to take place whenever kids are involved.  And such is life....

Jesus clearly told His disciples “in the world you will have trouble.”  Too many of us cast our hopes into problem solving in this life rather than focusing on a problem-free eternity in the next life.  If we could redirect our time and energy into seeking Jesus Christ instead of seeking perfection in the fallen world in which we live, we could find peace and joy, even in the face of difficult circumstances.

You see, Jesus’ light shines the brightest for believers who trust Him during dark times, but doing so requires a supernatural kind of trust.

Remember that Jesus is less concerned with the ‘right circumstances’ rather than in the ‘right response’ to whatever comes our way!

Best I Can

 

If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones.  But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.  Luke 16:10

A little pearl of wisdom that I have always shared in the Fisher home comes courtesy of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.  When Peter Parker gained super-human powers after being bitten by a radioactive spider, his Uncle Ben offered the following words of wisdom:  “With great power comes great responsibility.”

In terms of our integrity, our character too must become more and more like God’s.  Just as pure gold is the result of a refining process, a life of integrity is also the result of a refining process in which we are tested daily to see how pure we are.

If God sees that our thoughts and actions are becoming more like His, then our character is becoming more like His, and we are gradually gaining integrity.

Steady, As She Goes

 

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that  far outweighs them all.  2 Corinthians 4:17

I have always been fascinated by the disciple Paul, after his conversion on the road to Damascus.  He never wavered on his commitment to sharing the Good News of the gospel despite some difficult circumstances he faced like being beaten and imprisoned for his faith.  We would be wise to learn from Paul’s behavior as he always seemed to understand that his trails and suffering were only temporary.  He was always able to press on, knowing that one day he would be able to obtain God’s rest and rewards.

As we face our own personal troubles, it’s easy for us to lose our focus and zero in on our pain rather than the ultimate goal.  Just as athletes are somehow able to perform and focus on the finish line rather than their discomfort, we too must focus on the rewards that await for us in heaven for our faith and the joy that will last eternally.

No matter what happens to us in this lifetime, we have the assurance of eternal life, where there will be no more suffering, sorrow or pain.  Thanks be to God!

It's A Mistake

 

When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, "Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners ?"  But when Jesus heard this, He said, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. "But go and learn what this means : 'I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."  Matthew 9:11-13

With only a couple of weeks into 2024 and I have made my first big mistake at work for the new year.  I am certainly not proud or boasting here, just accepting the fact that I am a human and make mistakes; in fact, I make a lot of them; all of the time, sometimes daily...

One of the most common misconception about Christians in that all believers should be perfect.  Many of us go to extremes to pretend that we have every facet of our lives in order, but the truth is that while we are all forgiven, we all  still have many shortcomings.

Salvation through Christ doesn't change the fact that sin is still present in our lives.  When we become believers, God forgives us and sees as righteous.  We must continue to renew ourselves and fight the ongoing battle against sin while we are on this earth.

We must be careful not to put up a façade and cover up our shortcomings so that we appear to be “good Christians” to the outside world.  Instead, we must recognize and confess to God, our sinfulness, so that we can be forgiven when we do screw up and fall short of his glory.

What Is Life?

 

“When that day comes,” says the Lord, “I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the Lord…I will show love to those I called ‘Not loved.’ And to those I called ‘Not my people,’ I will say, ‘Now you are my people.’  And they will reply, ‘You are our God!’”  Hosea 2:16, 20, 23

There is no doubt in my mind that God wants a personal relationship with each and every single person on this planet.  One of my dearest friends recently shared a series of events that makes it crystal clear that God is not only pursing a relationship with him, but is also reminding him almost daily that He loves him.

While God is almighty and powerful, we still must be ‘in tune’ and look for evidence that He is seeking a personal relationship with us.  Being into music, God has certainly spoken to me through songs.  I could hear a particular song on the radio, be in the record shop a day later and hear the same song, and then some random place like a restaurant and hear it again.  It becomes almost undeniable that God will speak to us in ways that are unique to us.

He pursues us, not to get something from us, but to give something wonderful to us-love, hope, power, salvation, joy, peace, and eternal life.  God pursues us because He knows that only He can transform our lives forever!

Thanks be to God!!  

Panic

 

In Your hand is power and might; in Your hand it is to make great and give strength to all.  1 Chronicles 29:12

In this new year, I have made a conscious effort to respond more than I react to difficult circumstances.  This is something that will take quite some time to achieve, but the above passage has brought me peace and served as a simple reminder of God being in total control of every situation and circumstance.

Any of my family, friends, or co-workers will tell you that I have been known to over-react on occasion.  For instance, I thought the world was coming to an end last year when I contracted a sinus infection for a couple of days.  Seriously, I know that I am a very reactive person and in the heat of a moment, I sometimes forget that God is in control, not just over my life, but over everything.

Right before the end of last year, I faced a small scare.  Instead of my usual (panic and ‘freak out’) I instead turned to the Bible and prayed with thanksgiving and praise.  God filled me with a sense of peace and calmed my nerves and everything turned out to be better than fine.

Thankfully, we have a God that is bigger than you and me and the problems we face.  Turn to Him in all situations and never forget that He is in control!

You Are Never Alone

 

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, through its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.  Psalm 46:1-3

If am being perfectly honest with myself, I can admit that I have experienced many days where I have felt like God is nowhere to be found.  Perhaps you have felt the same way, but one thing we can all be reassured of is the fact that God is always with us and He's always for us.

Far too often, we forget that  God is not like any person on this earth, especially someone who proved to be undependable or has broken our trust.  You see, God is omnipotent and omnipresent in each of our lives.

In the above passage from Psalms, the author expressed a quiet confidence in God’s ability to save him-even in the face of utter destruction and chaos.  We too must learn to enjoy the journey we are on and let God make the paths clear we are to take in each of our lives.  If you are fearful of tomorrow and what the future holds, slow down and enjoy the peace and blessed assurance that God loves you and is your very present helper!

Desire

 

 

Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.  Luke 12:34

One of my high school teachers recently reminded me that we should learn to ‘bank’ on God during the good times as well as the bad.  I never thought of it like this before, but putting your trust in God on a daily basis is like making a deposit in the bank.

When you need it, you will have money in your account.  The same thing applies with our faith-we must also store up our trust in God when life is easier and then we will be confident when turning to him during a crisis or difficult situation.

When God is the center of our lives, we make our relationship with him the highest priority.  We long to spend time with him, talk to him, listen for his direction and we think about him quite often. 

Let your heart yearn for him, after all it is our heart that really matters the most to God.

Patience

 

The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives…patience.  Galatians 5:22

Many sleepless nights at home with sick children and living in Atlanta for a few years with an insane amount of traffic has taught me a little bit about the virtue of patience.

God’s word tells us that patience is actually a form of perseverance and endurance that allows us to respond to difficult circumstances with grace and self-control.

Patience is not a learned behavior as many would have you believe.  It’s actually the by-product of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the heart and mind of a believer.

God promises that when the Holy Spirit is in us, he will produce more patience in our lives.

I Can See Clearly Now

 

I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.  Psalm 57:2

Being passionate about music, people often ask me why I never pursued a career in the industry.  For starters, I can barely hold a tune.  I cannot read music and I am simply not proficient at playing an instrument, despite playing the bass guitar and as last Christmas, the mandolin.  I was a DJ at one time on an FM radio station I Alabama and enjoyed it very much, but there is more to it than sitting in a production booth and spinning tunes for a radio audience.  As only our Loving Father can work out, God has blessed me in profound ways that have intertwined both my love for music and my love for Jesus Christ...

Many years ago, I fulfilled a dream by playing the bass in a local band (Zephyrus Jones) back in my small hometown of Alabama.  This would have never been possible if I was not serving as a youth minister at the West Point First United Methodist Church.  When we moved to Knoxville, I was equally blessed to have served on the audio/video production team at Cokesbury Church's West Campus a couple of Sundays each month.  

Throughout my life, God has often used music as the medium to speak to me and there are countless times that I will hear a song that brings back a flood of memories and makes me think of my mother...   

You see, God has created all of us with both a general purpose and a specific purpose.  In a general sense, we are all to share the love of Christ with other people.  In specific terms, we have all been given unique Spiritual gifts that God wants us to use to make a worthwhile contribution while we are here on earth.

The more we fulfill God’s general purpose, the more clear our specific purposes become.