When we are weak, He is strong.

  “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (1 Cor. 10: 12-13)

  I am embarrassed to say that the article I am sharing with you is from an author whose name I don’t know! It is not because he wishes to remain anonymous but because I made a copy of what he wrote in his book many years ago to share with my pastor and didn’t write down his name or the name of his book! But it is so good I hope you will read it and be encouraged by it as I have. (If anyone recognizes the author please let me know so I can give him the credit he deserves!)

   “I’ve been thinking about weakness a lot lately. I’ve been thinking how often I am not strong, not successful, not together, not “victorious,” but instead how I am weak, just barely surviving, how easily and fast I could fall. And lately I’ve been appreciating the virtue of simply surviving. 

   This hit me strongly when I spent the day at the hospital with my son. Nothing too serious; he had fractured his thumb playing lacrosse and needed some pins inserted so the bones would align and heal correctly. It was an outpatient procedure, minor surgery—in and out in six hours. 

   But it was an intense day for me. Twelve years earlier I had been in the hospital with Trevor, that time because he had been diagnosed with leukemia. Then he was just six years old, maybe 40 pounds. Now he was a strapping six-foot-one, 190 pounds, driving, shaving, answering his own questions for the doctor. He was a leukemia survivor. 

   After the hand surgery, groggy from the anesthesia, his hand in a monster cast—Trevor couldn’t button or zip his pants or get his shoes on. As I helped him dress himself, it was just like a dozen years earlier, helping my little guy dress after a surgery that had installed a pair of mainline catheter ports in him. I wheeled him out to the car just like the last time, my son the leukemia survivor. 

   So you can imagine how precious the word survivor is to me. The word describes me, too—all of us, in fact: Christian leaders, pastors. We are not that strong. We’re not that successful. At best we’re all just survivors. Like Trevor, we’ve got some amazing stories to tell, some scars to show for our survival.

   Most pastors know all about surviving. Only a pastor truly understands what it feels like to have yet another person call to tell you they are leaving the church—a person you love, a person you helped and served, a person who needed you, a person you feel you now need, and yet the person is going, leaving, abandoning, rejecting. You know the talk: ‘You are not feeding us pastor…I’m going where I can get more meat, not just milk.’ People go, and they take a chunk of your heart with them. And of your morale. And with them goes some of your naivete. Somehow your survive. Sometimes just by a fingernail, sometimes weak, usually scarred. But you survive.

   Only a pastor truly understands what it feels like to fire someone you have discipled, someone you have trained and encouraged and then brought onto your staff, but who didn’t last, no matter how much you tried to help them. Then the ex-staffer feels you turned on them, betrayed them, and soon members of your congregation assume the same. And you play it over and over in your mind, and you can’t imagine how you could have done any better. But that knowledge doesn’t keep  you from feeling miserable and weak, not just for a week or two, but for months.

But you survive. In 2 Corinthians 1:8-10 Paul writes:

   “For we do not want you to be ignorant brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivers us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us,”

   In other words, Paul says,  ‘I was weak, but I survived.”

    I remember Trevor’s days 12 years ago—constant hospital visits, sleepless nights, anguished prayers, painful spinal taps, bone marrow aspirations, nightmarish side effects from drugs, weakness upon weakness.  Yet Trevor survived. And so did we.

   I remember the two or there years I spent not long ago; preaching every week, but wondering whether my own faith would survive. It did. And now I identify with other of Paul’s words in the same letter:

    

   ‘But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed---always carrying about in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh…….. Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the thing which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.’ (2 Corinthians 4:7-11,16-18)

   Pressed, perplexed, persecuted, abandoned---its amazing what we survive, as weak as we are. And it is also amazing to look back and think, I have been renewed day by day. I’m back. I survived.

   Whatever siege or nightmare or failure you’re going through now, try to imagine this: someday you’ll be looking back, 12 years will have passed, and you will have survived. You are a survivor.

   And when you see others struggling and stumbling and falling, don’t distance yourself from them or their weakness. Don’t miss the point by condemning them. Empathize instead. Draw close. Like Augustine, identify with your weak brother or sister, because you are no different. And believe that just as you have by grace survived ‘many dangers toils, and snares,’ they can survive too. For we serve a God who says: ‘My power is made perfect in weakness.’ (2 Corinthians 12:8)”

PRAY

1.    Lord thank You for walking with me through every trial and temptation. Thank You for never leaving me nor forsaking me.

2.    Help me to look back and remember how many times you have put me on Your shoulders and helped me to survive.

3.    Help me to look for others who are struggling and to come along side them and remind them that they are not alone. I will be with them and You will be with us both! 

My Rock and my Fortress

    “In You O LORD, I put my trust; Let me never be put to shame. Deliver me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape; Incline Your ear to me, and save me. Be my strong refuge, to which I may resort continually; You have given the commandment to save me, For You are my rock and my fortress.” (Psalms 71:1-2, NKJV)

    We don’t know the author of this Psalm but it is an awesome Psalm that has the author crying out for deliverance and salvation to the only One who can provide it: Our God.  He beseeches God to incline His ear and to save him. He reminds God that He is the Rock and Fortress we can depend upon in time of trouble. Who do you depend upon when times are tough? The author continues:

 “Be my strong refuge, To which I may resort continually; You have given the commandment to save me, For You are my rock and my fortress…..For You are my hope, O LORD God; You are my trust from my youth.” (verses 3,5)

   Again the author talks of God as someone he can turn to for comfort and safety. He remembers that it is God who has saved him and because God commanded it, then it is a fact that cannot be denied. He has put his faith in God since his youth. That is a good thing if you have had God to turn to since your youth, but if not, you can still turn to him now, and put your trust in him for the time you have left on this earth.

   “By You I have been upheld from birth; You are He who took me out of my mother’s womb. My praise shall be continually of You.” (verse 6)

   Wow! Think of it! God has been with you since your birth! God saw you safely delivered from your mother’s womb. In Psalm 139 King David says: “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mothers womb. I will praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And my soul knows very well.” (Psalm 139:13,14) God has made us in His image and He has done a wonderful job of it! We should be praising Him daily just for this simple act of creation that He supervised in the womb. (Continue reading Psalm 139 for more, especially verse 16)  

   The author of Psalm 71 continues: “O God, You have taught me from my youth; And to this day I declare Your wondrous works. Now I am old and grayheaded, O God do not forsake me, Until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come.” (verses 17,18)

   Even though I was 30 years old when I surrendered my life to be a follower of Christ, I can remember many times in my life prior to that time when my God was with me and was preparing me for the day when He would save me and adopt me as His son. Now it is my job to declare His wonderful works to all I come in contact with. God will not ever forsake me, even though I am considered “old and grayheaded” by most people. I need to declare His glory to my children and grandchildren that He has blessed me with.

  Of course, there is much more in this Psalm. Read it for yourself and see if the Holy Spirit has much more insight about our God and His marvelous plan for each one of us today!

  Pray:

1. Lord, Indeed you are my strong tower, my Rock, and my Fortress. Thank You for always walking with me whether it is a bright sunny a day or a walk in the “valley of death.”

2. Help me Lord, to always depend upon You and not my own intelligence or understanding of the situation. You are the faithful One upon I can always cast my cares upon.

3. Fill me with Your Spirit today, and allow me to see others and my situation in Your eyes. Help me to proclaim Your faithfulness to all generations.

  

Who is your Savior?

    “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow in His steps; ‘Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth’; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness---by whose stripes we are healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” (1 Peter 2:21-25)

   It is very hard for most of us in this day and time to really comprehend all that Christ endured for us on the cross and the time leading up to His death on that cross. But He was willing to do that for you and for me and for everyone who calls upon His name. “whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

   

   Occasionally, I like to put down in the form of a poem what I want to say about my Savior and Lord and what He has done means to me. Here is one of those feeble attempts:

My Savior

Oh that there were words to tell,

Of the Love my Savior has for me.

Could any mere poem hope to express,

How He freely gave His life on that cursed tree.

He settled that day, once and for all,

There can never be a single doubt.

His nail scarred hands, His bloody brow,

Demonstrate how our sins He freely bought.

He could have called down myriad legions,

Of mighty angels to stop the bloody show.

But He freely suffered my pain and shame,

Because no one else loved us so.

Our sins required a perfect, spotless lamb,

To make known that atonement was assured.

And there was no other one capable to bear,

The pain and suffering He endured.

Jesus lead me to that glorious cross,

To look upon your beaten and swollen face.

To see the agony You endured for me,

When You gladly and obediently took my place.

Let me see your spear pierced side,

Where the blood flowed freely down.

And brand in my weak and feeble heart,

The knowledge of the price You paid for me alone.

Oh let me never forget or misunderstand,

That I have been bought and paid for with a price.

That You have forever shown Your love for me,

And I will always know that I owe You my life.

Oh Jesus keep me near the sacred cross,

Forever obedient to hear You, and Your glory see.

And if You should ask: “Who shall I send?”

I will shout with joy; “Here am I Lord, send me!”

Your obedient servant, son, and friend,

PRAY

1.    Lord thank You for paying the ultimate price for my sin and for adopting me as you son or daughter even though I have done nothing and can do nothing to deserve Your love.

2.    Thank You for pursuing me when I was lost and dead in my sins and You called me to You and showed me what a glorious Savior, Master, and Father that You are.

3.    Help me this day to live totally for You and for Your kingdom. Give me patience, love, wisdom, and boldness to speak to others about You and all that You mean to me.

I am the same God!

“Now the LORD said unto Abram: Get out of your country, From your family And from your fathers’ house, To a land that I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1)


   I love reading stories in the Bible where God has called men and women to do things for the kingdom of God and I also love to read books about missionaries or other godly men and women who have stepped out in faith to reach others for Christ in one way or another. For the first time in my life I was allowed to meet one of these awesome men of faith in person, Pastor José Dos Santos.

    My wife, my son Adam, and I were privileged, in May 2019, to meet with pastor José Dos Santos in his church office in Cucuta, Columbia, prior to a midweek service. (Cúcuta is located on the eastern border of Columbia with Venezuela.) His church has about 5000 members who worship in the principle building and another 10,000 meeting in other locations in the city. Additionally, his church has started 140 house churches in neighboring Venezuela! This year, the church is celebrating its 44th anniversary. Someone asked him how he came to start this church 44 years ago and this is his amazing story:

   Pastor José was a pastor in a small church near San Paulo, Brazil. He was in his house praying one day and he felt as if he was transported to an unknown country. There were 6 men standing in a semicircle in a field, and as he approached them one man came to him and took him to a house and brought him into the dining room. Then Pastor Jose sat down at a table and they served him some bread, cheese and coffee. He looked on the wall in the dining room and saw a sign written in red: “Welcome to Columbia.” The man then took him outside on a hill and showed him a city down below and told him: “This is the city where you are to go.”

     The next thing that he knew was that he was on his knees back in his home in Brazil. He wondered if he had fallen asleep and had just been dreaming. Then he was aware that he could taste the remnants of bread, cheese, and coffee in his mouth and he had not eaten anything prior to starting his prayer time! He was puzzled about what had happened, and was afraid to tell anyone what he had seen and heard.

    He struggled with what he had seen for six months. While he is pondering what he had witnessed he searched the Scriptures daily and God kept leading him to miracle after miracle that had been performed by God for His people. One day as he studied, he asks God this question: “ Are You the same God who performed these miracles? And God answered him: “I am the same God!”  Finally, he had the courage to tell his wife:  “I have something to tell you,” He said. She responded, “I know what you want to tell me.” He was astounded! “How can you possibly know what I am going to say?” She answered,  “God already told me.”

     Not really believing her, he told her to go ahead and tell him what she thought he was going to tell her. She said, “You are going to resign from the church and we are going to move to another country and start a new church.” Then she added, “I have only one request; that we leave quickly.”

    So he resigned from his pastorate the next day and prepared to leave. Because Brazil was under a military dictatorship at the time, he was not allowed to withdraw the money he had in the bank to purchase the airplane tickets to fly to Columbia. So the local churches took up a love offering in cash and he and his family set out to drive/walk from Sao Paulo through the Amazon River basin to Columbia. It took him and his family 43 days. That trip, in itself, has to be another great story!

   Upon reaching the border of Columbia they arrived near a military airbase. Someone approached him and told him that a colonel at the airbase would fly him and his family the rest of the way if he could get to the airfield by a certain time. He was able to do so and even though the colonel was not there, one of his subordinates put them on a plane and flew them to Cucuta, Columbia.  When they got off the plane in Cúcuta, the colonel was waiting there with 2 jeeps to take them to their new house. Pastor José asked the colonel why he had arranged the flight and he explained: “This morning in my prayer time God told me I was to fly you to this city, so that is what I did!”

   When the colonel took them to their new house, it was the same house that Pastor Jose had seen in his vision! He and his family lived in that house for the first 5 years in Cucuta and that is where the new church was born! (What He didn’t explain was how long it too Him to learn Spanish instead of his native tongue, Portuguese.)

   Today his church is on the front lines of evangelism in two countries and they are working hard to meet the needs, both spiritual and physical of the people of Venezuela and Columbia. May God grant them continued success in increasing the knowledge of Christ in both nations!

PRAY

1. Lord, thank you for leading Pastor Jose to Cúcuta, Columbia and continue to bless him and his church as they lift high the name of Jesus in this part of the world.
2. Lord help me to be the same kind of obedient servant Pastor Jose and his wife have been and to always be listening for Your still small voice to guide me on the path You have chosen for me.
3. Lord thank You that You are such a personal God that You know just what I am capable of doing and I can rejoice in every opportunity You chose for me to serve You and Your kingdom on this earth.

Hidden with Christ

    “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:1-3, NKJV)

    In the book of Colossians, the apostle Paul really speaks to us about how to live out the Christian life. He tells us that our life is to be “hidden with Christ in God.”

    Oswald Chambers says this about that statement: “‘Your life is hidden with Christ in God.’ Christ is our entire life. When once we realize this, certain forms of doubt and perplexity vanish forever. If we set our affection on things above, those perplexities will never trouble us anymore because we know the Lord Jesus, and He is not distracted by these present perplexities.” (Oswald Chambers, Reading 286, Oswald Chambers Devotional Bible)

    Are you setting your affection on things above or are you letting the everyday worries of life drag you down? Hide your life in Christ, He has everything under control and He is watching over you every single day and night. He does not take any days off! (Psalms 121:4)

    Paul continues: “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.” (Verses 5,8-10)

    We are to put off, or put to death, those things in our life that characterized our lives before we were saved. We are new creations and made in the image of our Creator who gave His life on the cross that we might be conformed to His image! Then once we have put off these things, we can put on something so much better!

    “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, mercies, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things, put on love, which is the bond of perfection.” ( Verses 12-14)

    Yes, that is a tough list that Paul, guided by the Holy Spirit, has told us to do! We are to put on kindness, meekness, longsuffering, and to forgive those who have wronged us. We cannot do it in our own strength. We need the Holy Spirit to control us and fill us daily! Lastly, we do all in love!

    “Let the word of God dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word and deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” (Verses 16-17,23-24)

     Read and study God’s Word so that it can dwell in you richly! Praise Him with song and music with your whole heart and whatever you do in word or deed do it for Him and not for what others might say or think. We belong to Him, (Praise God!) and a thankfulness and joy in our service to a Him should flow naturally from our hearts and minds. 

PRAY 

1.   Lord we praise you and thank you for saving us and adopting us into your family for eternity. Help us as we put off the old man and become new creatures in Christ.

2.   Fill us with Your Spirit today that we are able to be kind, merciful, and loving to those You put in our pathway today.

3.   Bring to mind anyone that we need to go to and ask their forgiveness and help us to forgive those who have wronged us, just as You, so graciously, have forgiven us.