Finding the Right Shoes

¹³Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  ¹⁴Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; ¹⁵And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; -Ephesians 6:13-15 (KJV) 

A couple of weeks ago I went shoe shopping with my wife Andrea.  I guess she figured with all the Christmas shopping yet to be done she would need a good pair of shoes to get it all finished.  She suggested that since I needed a new pair of shoes for working out that I try to find a pair.  While she was perusing shoes in the ladies’ section I set about finding a pair of suitable gym shoes.  After trying on several pairs I realized I just wasn’t feeling it.  Do you know what I am talking about?  No pair of shoes I tried on felt right.  Andrea found a pair she wanted and came over to where I was.  She saw I was getting nowhere and tried to help out.  Sadly, I left the store without a new pair of shoes. 

These days I have a strict policy when it comes to buying shoes.  They have to feel good and fit right the moment I try them on or I don’t buy them.  For years I would purchase shoes which didn’t fit just right in the hope they would stretch and over time become more comfortable.  Not anymore.  These days if the shoe doesn’t feel just right it’s back in the box, baby.  Of course this greatly narrows my search for the right pair, yet I have come to believe my feet are worth the trouble. 

The Word of God makes the point of stressing the need to have our feet covered when we are engaging in spiritual battles.  As we seek to live for the Lord and live the kind of lives which honor Christ we must have our feet covered with the preparation of the gospel of peace.  Paul the Apostle had in mind a walk with Christ which carries us forward as we share the gospel with others.  Live peacefully, reach out in Jesus’ name, be kind, be forgiving, be humble, and have a close relationship with the Lord.  If our feet hurt we will have trouble walking.  In a spiritual sense, if our walk is not covered by a Christ-like attitude we will not make it far in our Christian service.   

Paul likened the spiritual armor he described in Ephesians 6 to a Roman soldier.  Every piece of armor would cover a vulnerable part of the body.  A wound to any of the areas the armor protected could bring the solider to a quick and bloody end.  In order to keep on fighting he must be able to remain standing.  The feet, if unprotected, would be vulnerable to a blow from a spear, sword, or arrow.  A similar analogy is found with our spiritual armor.  Keep it all in place so we can be effective in our Christian testimony and our daily walk with Christ.  The feet are extremely susceptible to an attack.  If the devil can knock us off our feet with temptation, discouragement, sorrow, or fear then we may find ourselves falling down despite being covered elsewhere. 

Living for Jesus Christ involves having the right shoes.  Keep the feet covered by always being prepared to walk forward in faith as you share the gospel with others.  The gospel, the right attitude, a loving spirit, and vibrant faith –  a perfect fit!  Try them on today.

Christ Brought Hope Which Overcomes Fear

¹⁰And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  ¹¹For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.  ¹²And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.  ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, ¹⁴Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.  -Luke 2:10-14 (KJV) 

Down through the ages followers of Christ have wondered about the events of Luke 2.  One of the questions which has been speculated on is this; why the shepherds?  Were they more worthy than others, were they more open to receive the message, or were they in the right place at the right time?  These men were not necessarily more worthy, nor were they more open, and it certainly wasn’t a matter of luck.  Instead, they were chosen by God to be the first to learn of Christ’s birth.  God has His reasons and we will not presume to question Him.   

I believe the shepherds were representative of all the people who need to hear the message and have hope instilled in their hearts. We all stand in need of salvation, and Christ has provided the means.  Christ has brought hope into the world, and without hope we wither and die.  Hope is the driving force which reminds us there is a purpose to life after all.  Day after day, year after year, these shepherds toiled on, looking after their sheep, and they did so without any hope their situation would ever change for the better.  They were not about to receive a promotion anytime soon.  The work involved long hours, little pay, and little recognition.  Does this sound familiar?  Countless people follow the same routine each day, toiling on and wondering if their lives will ever change or get better. 

It’s easy to see why these men might have grown discouraged in their work as so many people do when they come to believe their lives are going nowhere.  Jesus brings hope and new life to an otherwise dull existence.  A lost and troubled world needs the hope which Christ provides.  Hope in Christ calms our fears.  From fear comes worry, which produces internal strife, which in turn robs us of peace.  We all need the peace Christ offers because we are all afraid of something.  Someone might say they he or she isn’t afraid of anything, and while such boldness sounds impressive it is difficult to believe.  Everyone has something which troubles them and creates at least some fear.  Jesus Christ overcomes fear in our lives and brings about His blessed peace.  People have long believed they can find peace without the Lord, yet the peace they find will not last.  Christ brings to us lasting peace and everlasting life.   

Christ helps us to overcome our fears.  God can and will use us despite our fears – be sure of that.  However, when we overcome the obstacles fear creates we become ever more useful to God.  Our entire outlook on life changes for the better.  Instead of seeing defeat we begin to see victory – the victory Christ brings.  We may have problems, troubles, weaknesses, yet the Lord can still use us.  We might be broken, yet we are still of tremendous value in God's kingdom.   

Glory to God in the highest – Christ has come and in Him there is hope.

Living the Joy of Christmas all Year Long

¹³Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.  ¹⁴And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.  -Romans 15:13, 14 (KJV) 

I know people often feel a little worn out after Christmas and this is certainly understandable.  Christmas is a blessed yet hectic time of year.  However, I was thinking a little while ago about how much I enjoy the day after Christmas.  The pressure is now off, there are no more gifts to buy, no more decorations to put up, no more presents to wrap, and no more Christmas dinners to attend.  Today, and probably for the next few days, we can enjoy all those Christmas dinner leftovers, which include Christmas cookies and strong coffee, and we still have all the lights and decorations to enjoy a while longer before we take them down for another year.  About those decorations; don’t be in too big a hurry to take them down.  Why not enjoy them for a few more days?  You went to a lot of trouble to put up the tree and the lights.  Relax, sit back and enjoy them another day or two. 

This time of year we celebrate the birth of Christ, and the Scripture teaches we are to live out the joy of the Lord year round.  Paul the Apostle’s prayer for believers was for them to be filled with the joy of the Lord and to “abound in hope…”   If we are abounding in hope this means we are growing in hope all of the time, day after day, and year after year.  Living out the “good tidings of great joy” (Luke 2:10) which the angel spoke of on the night of Jesus’ birth involves an ongoing process of faith through which we live out the wonder of Christmas year-round.   

I hate to think the only time I was excited about my faith in Christ was at Christmas or Easter, or even just on Sunday.  Instead, the joy we experience in Christ is to be a continuing experience in which we have joy and we express this joy in tangible ways.  In a world filled with violence and hatred people need to know there is still hope and joy in peoples’  lives.  Jesus Christ brings this blessed hope and He empowers us to express it to those around us. 

Seek to be more loving, kind, compassionate, patient, and forgiving.  Do something nice for someone with no thought of a reward or getting anything in return.  As Jesus said, be willing to go the extra mile for the one who asks (Matthew 5:41).  The light of Jesus was meant to shine from our lives, so shine it.  The joy Christ brings was meant to be experienced, so start being joyful.  Joy comes when Christ reigns in the heart.  Let Christ reign in your heart today and all the coming year.

The light in the Darkness

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.  -Isaiah 9:2 (KJV) 

As far as the weather is concerned this has been an unusual Christmas season.  Instead of cold weather and snow we have had here in southwest Virginia a great amount of rain and warmer temperatures.  The other day as I was trying to clean the mud off of my dogs’ paws before letting them back into the house I was singing, “I’m dreaming of a muddy Christmas, unlike about any we’ve had before.” Ada and Leon could only smile and wag their tales and I know the irony of my song was wasted on them, yet it described my sentiments at the time.  Perhaps this cloudy, dreary, and rainy weather will pass and it will begin to feel like winter. 

I will be the first to say how much I depend on sunshine.  Even if the weather is bitterly cold as long as the sun is shining I am okay and my mood usually remains high.  However, when we have a run of rainy and cloudy days I begin to feel a little down.  When it comes to our spiritual condition we will remain in a state of darkness until the light of Christ comes into our hearts.  The Scripture foretold of Christ’s coming as a light which would shine on those wandering in spiritual darkness.  This darkness is an oppressive force from which there is one escape and one remedy; a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 

Life is filled with enough trouble to leave us feeling trapped in a state of hopelessness.  Christ’s coming brought a blessed light which pierces the darkness of the soul and lets the powerful light of God shine into our hearts.  Just as sunshine energizes us on a clear day so does the light of Christ lift us up and give new and certain hope.  We no longer have to stay captive to sin and despair.  Instead we can rise up and walk forward in confident faith.  Jesus’ coming shows the world how God’s gift of salvation is available to all.  We don’t have to pay for it because Christ has already done so.  Ours is to receive the gift freely as it was freely given to the world. 

Today Andrea and I met some old friends for lunch who were in town for Christmas.  We had not seen them in nearly three years so we had a good amount of catching up to do.  During the meal our friends gave us a very precious gift which touched us deeply.  The gift was given out of the kindness and love they feel toward us.  There were no strings attached, no hidden agenda, and no thought of receiving anything in return.   

This is the attitude which God gave to the world the greatest gift of all which is the birth of Jesus Christ.  A wonderful light has dawned.  Cease from walking in the darkness and begin today walking in the light of Christ by receiving Him as Savior. 

Christmas is a wonderful time, and may we never forget the true reason we celebrate.  Jesus Christ has come and as the angels sang, “Glory to God in highest”  (Luke 2:14).

The Power of Having God’s Word in our Hearts

⁸I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.  ⁹Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.  ¹⁰With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.  ¹¹Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. -Psalm 119:8-11 (KJV) 

Most of us have been raised on music and movies of all sorts.  I have so many song lyrics and movie quotes in my head that they frequently make their way into daily conversation.  The other evening Andrea and I were Christmas shopping and she was looking over a display of men’s corduroy pants.  She asked me if I might want a pair for Christmas.  I never wear corduroy, so I said “Honey, I don’t want to be the boy in the corduroy pants.” Her brow wrinkled in concentration as she mulled this over.  “Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers!” she said.  “Correct!”  I then sang the verse for verification; “I’ll be the boy, in the corduroy pants, you be the girl, at the high school dance.”  It could be the crowds and excitement of the season was making us a little giddy.   

Countless songs and movie lines make their way into our collective consciousness, but what about the riches of God’s Word?  This treasure trove of wisdom, truth, counsel, spiritual guidance, and the ways of righteousness goes overlooked by scores of people who could greatly benefit from it.  The Word of God speaks of the power of placing the Word within our hearts.  Doing so empowers us to stand firm and resist the temptations which daily assault us.  God’s Word provides spiritual strength we can rely on when faced with temptation, heartache, frustration, and discouragement.  We know these will come and we do well to be prepared. 

One of the wonders of a vibrant relationship with Christ is the spiritual power He gives to stand firm in the face of life’s trials.  No matter who you are or your station in life Christ can become personal to you.  Consider all the ways Christ relates to us: 

To the artist, He is the One altogether lovely.

To the architect, He is the Chief Corner Stone.

To the astronomer, He is the Sun of Righteousness.

To the baker, He is the Living Bread.

To the banker, He is the Hidden Treasure.

To the biologist, He is the Life.

To the builder, He is the Sure Foundation.

To the Carpenter, He is the Door.

To the doctor, He is the Great Physician.

To the educator, He is the Great Teacher.

To the engineer, He is the New and Living Way.

To the farmer, He is the Sower and the Lord of the Harvest.

To the florist, He is the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valley.

To the geologist, He is the Rock of Ages.

To the horticulturist, He is the True Vine.

To the theologian, He is the Author and Finisher of our faith.

To the toiler, He is the Giver of Rest.

To the sinner, He is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.

To the Christian, He is the Son of the Living God, the Savior, the Redeemer, and Lord. 

When we delve into God’s Word and place it within our hearts the Lord Jesus becomes deeply personal to us.  The Lord will help us move forward and face whatever challenges await us.  Don’t be afraid.  Instead, walk forward in faith with God’s Word in our hearts and Christ abiding within us.

What’s Your Hurry?

³⁰Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: ³¹But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.  -Isaiah 30:30, 31 (KJV) 

We dwell in a world which is always in a hurry.  People are in such big hurries we have forgotten how to slow down and enjoy the moment.  We have a difficult time enjoying where we are because we are in such a hurry to get to where we want to be.  And once we’re there we get in a rush to go to the next place.  It’s no wonder stress related health problems are on the increase.  When we live in a hurry our priorities can easily become out of order.  We begin to rush through time with family, time for ourselves, and we also rush through our time with God.  Or worse, we neglect this vital discipline all together.  Why do we think we will accomplish more if we rush our way through life?  In the end we accomplish less and what we do finish we don’t do as well. 

When we trust Christ day-by-day and move forward in His will our spiritual resolve is strengthened.  Learning not to get in a hurry makes us stronger spiritually.  Do you know why?  The answer is we learn to wait on the Lord.  The waiting brings spiritual strength and resolve.  We cease from trying to rush God’s will and instead we learn to wait for God’s will to be done.  We do well when at all possible to slow down and not get in a hurry.   

There is no indication in Scripture that Jesus ever got in a hurry about anything.  He took the needed steps to ensure His heart was always attuned to the Father’s will so that He would accomplish what He came into the world to do.  We are called to follow Christ’s example.  God is calling His people to pray, witness, get excited about knowing the Lord, reach out in His name, and confront the apathy which exists in the world and the church today.  None of this happens quickly.  It happens when we trust Christ day-by-day. 

Slow down my friend.  Take time to enjoy the simple and free blessings which are all around us and are there for the taking. 

Rise up earlier so you will have more time to pray and you won’t have to rush to work.

Smile more often at people around you.

Practice random acts of kindness.

Write a letter to an old friend.

Pick up the phone and call someone you haven’t spoken to in a long time.

Tell others how much you appreciate them and how important they are to you.

Stop just thinking about getting your heart right with God and do so today. 

We are called to be faithful, and we must leave the results with God, for He is always faithful.  Slow down, learn to enjoy the moment, find rest in God, and let God have His perfect will in your life.

Listening for the Voice of God

⁸And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.  ⁹Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.  ¹⁰And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.  -I Samuel 3:8-10 (KJV) 

My wife Andrea and I have had a disagreement in recent years about whether or not to have caller ID on our phone.  I would like to have it in order to screen out telemarketers and sales calls.  Andrea, on the other hand, declares that having caller ID is wrong.  Her reason is it enables you to see who is calling and if it’s someone you don’t want to talk to you simply don’t answer the phone.  My response is, “Yes, you’re correct!  That’s caller ID!” You may be pleased to know we still do not have this feature on our phone.  When the phone rings we go ahead and answer, and it’s always kind of exciting; “I wonder who this could be?!” Caller ID truly does take the adventure out of answering the phone.   

Samuel of the Old Testament first experienced the call of God in is life when he was a child, and when the Lord first spoke to him he was unaware God was speaking.  Samuel mistakenly thought his mentor, Eli the priest, was calling him.  The entire scene is sort of comical.

Samuel: “Hey, Eli; here I am.  You called me.”

Eli: “No I didn’t (yawning from being awakened from sleep).  Go back to bed.”

(A few minutes later)

Samuel: “Here I am Eli; you called me.”

Eli: “Go back to bed son, I didn’t call you.” 

It took three episodes of this little drama before old Eli finally caught on.  God was calling Samuel.  Eli instructed the lad to go back and lie down, and if he heard the voice again to tell the Lord to speak because he was listening.  God then revealed His will to the young boy.  This revelation was the beginning of a lifetime of hearing and responding to the voice of the Almighty.  I confess I have never heard the voice of God speaking in audible form as did Samuel, yet the powerful convictions I have experienced in my heart have been at times so clear as to be like the very voice of the Lord.  Some wag might ask me if I am hearing voices in my head. My answer would be, “No, just one.” As I seek the Lord He has a wonderful way of communicating His will.   

The Lord will speak to our hearts – through His Word, when we seek Him in prayer, and through the mouths of His servants.  It’s easy to grow discouraged when we think the Lord isn’t speaking to us.  Even sincere believers will confess they are not hearing the voice of the Lord in their hearts.  My advice is to by faith keep seeking God and keep listening.  The Lord is faithful and He will speak to our hearts with calm and reassuring words.   

Perhaps you are trying too hard.  During your prayer time seek to stop, clear your mind, and just listen for God’s voice.  “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.” Seek the Lord in faith.  You will not be disappointed.