Faith and the Magic 8 Ball?

Remember the "Magic 8 Ball"?  With its phrases like, "It is Certain", "You May Rely on It", "Outlook Good", "Ask Again Later", "Concentrate and Ask Again", and my all time favorite "Very Doubtful". Keep that in mind through our devotion this morning. 

Judges 6:36-40

And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said, Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said. And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew. And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

This is an amazing story about a man who was facing something difficult in his life and asked God for a sign. God chose to answer him in the very way that he asked. God uses signs. Many times, especially in the Old Testament, God moved in this manner. God even sent the star as a sign over His Son. Not that the sign was the miracle, it only pointed to the miracle and confirmed it. 

We today act in the same way as Gideon. We feel God moving in our lives and then ask Him to send us a sign. Some have even asked God to move in their most darkest times by closing their eyes and pointing to a page of the Bible to read a powerful scripture. Please don't misunderstand me this morning. I do not doubt that God can move in that way, He has done great things for me in this manner. But there is a problem with this ALWAYS being the way we think. 

Look at this scripture and keep in mind that scripture will never argue against scripture. The people wanted a sign about the end times and listen to what Jesus said about always seeking signs. 

Luke 11:29

And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation:they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.

You see if we are always the kind of people that close our eyes and point, look into the sky for a certain shaped cloud or some other kind of signs, then where is our faith?  If we constantly seek signs in order to believe God then we will become as the Jewish nation did. They became guilty of placing their faith in the signs themselves instead of the God who sent the signs. Don't be guilty of placing your faith in signs but rather keep your faith in God who sent the sign for your direction.

The GREATEST sign you could ever receive has already been given. It is the awesome Word of God!  Why spend so much time seeking after more signs when God has already given us the signs in His Word?  

Thank you Lord for your Word. Thank you for allowing me to live in such a time that there is no confusion for my direction because it is all written in your Word. 

John 20:30-31

And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Watch For Potholes!

Galatians 5:7
Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?

I hear Christians almost every week say the phrase, "When I first got saved I was so on fire for the Lord." To which I always try to respond, "What happened?"

The sad truth is that we all could be closer to the Lord right now than we were yesterday. The reason for this is we tend to watch the flames or desire of our hearts burn instead of putting more wood on the fire. Our human nature is to glory in our victories. We live so much on the old glory days than we do looking at the days that could be before us.

A preacher friend of mine, Junior Hill, once told us at a Pastor's Conference that he was praying that his last days would be his best. This is someone who is asking God for strength, wisdom and most of all the Spirit to be with him in the last chapters of his life. Let me say that God has truly been answering his prayer.

But sometimes along the way we become hindered. Look at what Paul says about the church at Galatia. He says, "Ye did run well;... You were doing so good and then something has happened to you guys." What in the world happened to these followers? Who hindered them? An interesting things is the Greek word for hinder. It is "anakopto", which means to beat back, hinder by breaking up a road. It's like the waves that beat against the ship trying to maintain its course. It's like driving along and the potholes are so bad, or the road is so damaged, you can't get to your destination.

God's Word tells us that there are things and people that will hinder us. We must be careful of the potholes that try and wreck our lives. I sure don't want a preacher, or the Lord Himself, telling me that I did run well...but you became hindered. Do you always boast of what you used to be in the Lord? What hindered you?

Are You Sure This Is The Right Road?

Mark 14:36
And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

Have you ever traveled down a road that you didn't want to be on? Several years ago our family went on a trip to the mountains. My parents, grandparents and my family were headed on a little get away. We wanted a cabin that was secluded but also close to the city. I know, we wanted our cake and eat it too. I searched on the Internet for a place to stay and found a beautiful three bedroom log cabin. The pictures said that it was tucked away on the top of Mt. LeConte of Tennessee.

So off we took... Traveling highways and interstates and finally arriving close to our destination. When we got to the city we turned at a certain traffic light and hoped it wouldn't be much farther. Then we turned off of another road, and another one, and another one...until we finally found ourselves on a single-lane road. Darkness isn't the best word to describe it. While we were in the city my granddad said, "I should have brought my gun." When we turned off on that dark single-lane road he said, "I should have brought my shotgun!"

What I am trying to get at is, do you think that we would have ever gotten there if we hadn't taken the dark single-lane road? Would we have ever seen the beauty of that cabin tucked away on that beautiful mountain? No. Think this morning of that dark, single-lane and lonely road that Jesus faced ahead of Him that night in the Garden of Gethsemane. Listen to Him as He cries, "Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me:" But there was no other way to get to Calvary except through the pain and suffering of the cross. I'm thankful that Jesus said, "Nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt."

Just as we would have never enjoyed the scenery and beauty of that cabin in the mountains without traveling that dark and lonely road, we would never enjoy victory over death and salvation if Christ had never walked up that hill called Calvary! We will never know the victory in being in God’s Will if we quit or abandon the walk when the road gets difficult. Thank you Lord for being with us, especially when the road seems dark and lonely!

Where Are We Watching the Game?

Mark 14:12-15
And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover? And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him. And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us.

Because of growing up in the south many of my Saturdays were spent in three ways. We were either fishing, hunting or watching college football during this season. I spent much time in front of a television watching and cheering on my team (which has just won their 17th National Championship). Missing a game was not accepted and then it became my habit of flipping through the channels for every game. Saturday after Saturday we gathered with friends and watched the games.

Now the fun of it all was the planning. The opening game of the season was planned out sometimes a month ahead. "Where you watching the game?" was the question of the month. The very next questions were, "Whose coming? What are we eating? What do I need to bring?" Our preparation for one event was like a military strategy.

Just as every game... People planned for this one opening event. They saved, or borrowed money for tickets and airfare. They counted the cost and said it is well worth it. Bags were packed, reservations were made and time was spent to either be at this event or just simply at home with friends watching it together.

Do you know how much effort that takes? Did you know that Christ Jesus has done that very same thing for you? He has all things prepared. Just as His disciples didn't know where they would celebrate the Passover (Big Game Celebration) together, Jesus knew. He had all things ready! What a huge disappointment it would be for Him to have all things ready and you never show. Just as these disciples came to find this place by faith, come to Jesus today by faith and trust upon Him.

One more question... Where will you spend eternity? It's similar to our title question but its results could be much more impactful.

I Love You

1 John 3:18

My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

I tell my wife and children that I love them many times during a day. Before we leave each other in the mornings we say we love one another. When we go different ways we tell each other that we love one another. Before we go to bed each night we tell one another that we love each other. It's something that we started because we want each other to know how we feel. But there are times that we say it because we are disciplined to do so. There are even times when we say it and it feels like it isn't enough, kinda like the words aren't sufficient. 

That's what this scripture is teaching us. To say it isn't enough. Love is an action word. Love must be shown in order for people to actually feel it. To tell someone that you love them and not show them would have no more meaning than telling them your middle name and never wanting them to call you by it. 

Love requires action. It demands it. Notice what the scripture tells us... Don't love in word. In other words, don't brag on how much you do or will do. Love isn't boastful about itself. Some think by always bringing up what they have done or bought, that their love is something great. Loving people doesn't always have an itinerary or price catalog. Sometimes loving people is just being there. Also look at what the scripture says... Don't love in tongue. How would you feel about love if someone told you they loved you but cheated on you?  How would you feel about love if someone told you they loved you but never talked to you again?  

The scripture is very clear on these two issues of love. Look at it and add it together. 

  - Don't love in "WORD", but love in "DEED"

  - Don't love in "LIES OF THE TONGUE", but in "TRUTH"

Am I Missing Something?

Mark 10:21-22
Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.

Before I gave my life to Christ and followed Him I thought I had everything I needed. I really didn't lack for anything in my life. Now don't misunderstand me, I didn't have everything I ever wanted but I did have all I really needed. I had my family growing up. I had friends that stood beside me through some really crazy and dumb times. I thought I had love through girlfriends. As I look back I didn't think there was anything missing.

One night, after enjoying my sinful lifestyle, it hit me that I was missing something. The one who thought he had it all realized that he didn't have something. This one thing that I lacked seemed as though it was multiple things. I realized that I didn't have peace. I didn't have true love. I didn't have life. I thought I was good. I mean I knew scriptures and went to church. I even sang the songs when the congregation would sing. I went as far as to sing special songs in front of the whole church but I didn't have the one thing. Something was always missing.

Do you know what it was, or rather who it was? It was Christ. I didn't have Christ! How sad it would have been to have all of these other things in my life and not have Christ. I could of had my family, friends, relationships and popularity only to die lost without Christ forever.

This man walked away sad because he had great possessions. He settled for his earthly possessions than for what Christ has to offer for eternity. What will you do?

Is That Your Answer?

Isaiah 5:11-13
Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink;
that continue until night, till wine inflame them!
And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe,
and wine, are in their feasts:
but they regard not the work of the Lord,
neither consider the operation of his hands.
Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge:
and their honourable men are famished,
and their multitude dried up with thirst.

What happens when the party is over? The bill comes. If there is one thing that I can testify about is how much the bill of sin costs. Before Christ saved me I went to the extremes for parties. Hours of filling myself with the drink of the world, listening to the sounds of the music. I spent many nights inflamed as this scripture speaks of. Disregarding the word of God and never considering Him or His work.

This life was bondage. I thought that the answer was found in more and more of the things I was doing. When I felt down, one more party. When I needed and answer, I searched in a bottle. Only to find out these last verses to be true. Captivity overwhelmed me because I didn't know God. My honor was traded every time through my intoxicated state. By the end of the party I was still left thirsty. Although I had filled my life with drink after drink, I was still thirsty.

What I thought was the answer proved to be the problem. Thank you Jesus for living water and a thirst for you that is satisfied. Now that is the answer I looked for.