Fervent!

James 5: 16    KJV

¹⁶ Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

For about 8 weeks I’ve been struggling with some health issues. Melanoma is as concerning as it needs to get.

Over the course of many weeks I’ve endured Surgery...CT Scans...Blood Work...and quite a few Doctors Appointments.

Why, if I had as many needles sticking out of me, that were stuck in me...I’d look like a pin cushion J

Last week I was emotionally reeling. I heard the words...”Enlarged Lymph Nodes”...”Biopsies”...”Thoracic Surgeon”...”PET Scan”...and the word Cancer came up a time or two.

I didn’t share the specifics with too many people, but only those whom I know who would pray in a righteous way.

I only included those folks on my personal and spiritual board of directors.

Seriously, the only people I want praying for me, are the spiritually profitable people I have in my life.

These are the folks who are humble enough to confess their sins. Maybe then, and only then, can true healing happen.

Don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t want people praying for me who aren’t righteous.

The outcome of my Oncology visit yesterday, was a report of healing. Three (3) enlarged lymph nodes, now turned into One (1).

Biopsy wasn’t even a part of the conversation. There’s no longer a need for a Thoracic Surgeon.

A bad diagnosis? That’s possible... A coincidence? Perhaps... but I’m sticking with the concept of righteous prayer.

Did I deserve this kinds of news? Not hardly, but I don’t call the shots, but I sure do know Who does!

I even had one crazy woman praying for a cleansing of my temple. She sent me a picture of Jesus with whip in hand, cleaning out THE temple.

I love it when crazy, righteous people pray. They are the ones who can move mountains.

Do your prayers move mountains? On the subject of righteousness...Is there something you need to confess?

Before you bend a knee to talk to God...you might want to get that fixed first.

More on Monday... 

Power!

1 Corinthians 1: 18     KJV

¹⁸ For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

It’s a symbol seen all over the world.

We adorn it as jewelry...you see it in churches and on tomb stones.

It is foolish though, for people who just don’t understand it’s power.

Most who mock it’s meaning, don’t even realize the power there’s in it.

I received a handcrafted wooden cross from a friend the other day.

Actually, believe it or not...I still have a few.

Art is a carpenter and an accomplished wood worker, and this laminated cross is made from...Walnut...White Maple, and Cherry.

Art said that when things get tough, grip it in your hand and pray.

Art knew that the cross he made would encourage me. It fits very neatly in the palm of my hand.

I don’t think this man will ever understand, how deeply this gesture touched my heart.

When life get’s hard, do you hold tightly to the cross?

When people misunderstand your intentions, do you even consider the cross?

Folks who are saved, understand the power of the cross.

It’s precious meaning, and the One who hung there, is the only thing in life that can save us, restore us...and bring us peace...when life isn’t so peaceful.

“Savior I come, quiet my soul...remember......redemptions hill, where Your blood was spilled...”

Love!

Mark 12: 30 - 31

³⁰ “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.

³¹ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

 

The positing attached announces a fund raiser for a family in need.

I know what you’re thinking... “I wondered when he would start asking for money for this daily devotional?1?1?”

 

The Green Bay company my brother Chris works for, seems to have their hearts in the right place.

They have literally raised thousands of dollars over the years, loving many neighbors as themselves.

 

This company isn’t a religious organization of any kind, but they know how to care for people in need.

They have it all figured out, where many churches even fall short.

 

Here’s what I’m proposing. If you’d like to take part in loving on this young family, put your money where your heart is!

If you could spare just the amount you spend at lunch on any given day, we could join in on this love fest.

Send your donations to:              WCF

Attn: Sager Family

P.O. Box 249

Winneconne, WI.  54986

 

If you’re looking for a tax right off, you might not be giving for the right reason. Would you at the very least, pray?

I’ll personally go and present this corporate donation to the people of Fosber and the Sager Family, on March 17^th.

This would’ve been my Mom’s 84^th birthday. She was a woman who taught her boys how to love.

 

Of the countless people receiving this daily devotional, we certainly could muster up a few bucks.

I applaud the efforts of a Company, who makes food, serves foods, and loves people, just like Jesus called us to... 

Wise Counsel!

Hosea 4: 12

¹² My people ask counsel from their wooden idols, and their staff informs them.

For the spirit of harlotry has caused them to stray, and they have played the harlot against their God.

It’s amazing where the people of the church get their advice now days.

The people of Judah consulted in phony images, instead of the Word of God.

Is that a repeating pattern in our American culture?

Being focused on the temporal things, will never fully satisfy.

Seriously, as you begin a new work week, where do you get your directive from?

The Word of God says that we should seek Him (God) first. Is that how you’re going to start your week?

Consulting with images and not the Divine Word of God, will not give us the direction we need.

The person you normally confide in, might have some great advice, but it’s not worth squat if it leads to disorder and sin.

One of the great First Ladies of the U.S. passed away yesterday at 94 years of age.

It was suggested that she consulted with an astrologist to protect her husband from harm.

I’m not intentionally trying to tarnish Nancy Reagan’s wonderful reputation, but she could’ve gotten some advice from a much more reliable source.

During this unnerving time in the history of Israel, even the priests and people rejected advice from God.

You would think after time, that we would gradually learn our lesson.

People and nations are rejected by God, as we reject and forget about His law...

Pleasing to Who?

Matthew 16: 18

¹⁸ “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

During “Super Tuesday” voting, Republican people came out of the woodwork to cast their votes.

The state of Virginia’s polling numbers suggest that voters increased their poll attendance by 110%, over the last Presidential primary vote.

People are sick and tired of the establishment.

Folks are angry for what has happened to their country. It’s about time!!

It makes me wonder what’s happened to the establishment church.

How long has the church been pulling the wool over people’s eyes?

Church Leaders Magazine, published an interesting article in November 2015.

The article suggests that only about 17.7 percent of Americans worship each weekend.

I wonder if the regular local church attendee, is just flat out ticked off?

What keeps people from worshipping God on Sunday mornings?

Maybe it’s because we’re no longer letting Jesus build His church.

Have we assumed a task that was reserved for the Christ of God?

While there’s still time, maybe we had better stop our meddling.

While there’s still time, maybe the American church needs to start telling the whole truth again.

And just so we all understand....the church is all about pleasing God, and not at all about pleasing man...

Spiritual statement!

Psalm 118: 25 - 26     ESV

25 Save us, we pray, O Lord! O Lord, we pray, give us success!

26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We bless you from the house of the Lord.]

Many people are claiming that Donald Trump will be the “cure all” for all of the problems that America faces.

One certainly can’t deny “The Donald’s” popularity.

What’s it going to take for this country to find out, that the only One who can solve our problems, is at the doorstep of His return.

When are we going to realize, that the only One who can save us, is the One who has saved us in the first place.

Maybe instead of clamoring and fussing over the name of a money making machine, we should scream for a spirit repentance.

Maybe if we yell “Hosanna” loud enough, God will actually save us through our prayers?

Are you banking on some political figure to make things new again?

Are you betting on a November election to curb all the issues we have in this world?

Seriously, good luck with that.

I’m betting my bottom dollar on the One who can really do something about this mess we live in.

I’m not a pessimist, I just live within the realm of reality.

What world do you live in?

Neither Democrat or Republican can fix what’s wrong in this world. Hillary isn’t the answer either.

If we seriously turned out hearts back towards Jesus, things could change for the better, in no time flat.

And just for the record, this is a spiritual statement, not a political one

Be of Good Cheer!

John 16: 33

³³ “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.

In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

 

I spent the last two Sunday’s, preaching on suffering.

Honestly, I don’t believe the church spends a lot of time on the subject, frankly.

 

Do we in the church, have some entitlement believing that we should never go through hardships as we walk with Jesus?

I realize that this devotional might indeed, strike a nerve with some.

 

Jesus said that we should expect tribulation. TRIBULATION: unhappiness, pain, or suffering

Does that verse somehow get lost in the preceding and the following words Jesus speaks?

 

A.W. Tozier is quoted as saying...“It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply.”

That quotation doesn’t seem to be following the American theology I’ve heard through the years.

 

Have we forgotten that they used to light on fire, people who spoke the name of Jesus publically?

Have you ceased to remember, that the main staple diet for the Roman lions, were followers of Jesus?

 

The best news of all, is that Jesus has overcome all this by enduring the cross.

He has already tasted some of the trouble we’ve had to endure...and then some!

 

Throughout history, what made the Gospel spread like wild fire, was the exact hardships that people had to go through.

God never wastes a moment, and He may be trying to do something powerful, through your personal tribulation.

 

Whatever you’re having to go through, let’s be sure to remember, to... “be of good cheer”...