ever increasing faith...

It was said of Caleb that he “followed me [the Lord] wholly” (Numbers 14:24). He 
never wavered to the very end. Solomon wavered in his later years and “he went 
not fully after the Lord.” But at 85 years of age, Caleb could testify: “As yet 
I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me; as my strength 
was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in” 
(Joshua 14:11). 
 
The message is glorious! It is this: It is not enough to have died to sin—to 
have entered fullness sometime in the past. The need is to grow in the Lord to 
the end! To keep your spiritual power and strength—to not waiver, to “wholly 
follow the Lord”—even in old age! 
 
It should be an ever-increasing faith. 
 
David Wilkerson 

His love never fails....

Two camps....

There are really only two camps in this world of ours - those who have been found and those who are yet still lost. Depending on which one of these camps you find yourself in determines how you live (should be living) your life.

If you are in the 'yet still lost' camp your life will be lived based upon the ways of the world. Your focus will center more on self than others. Your hope will come from the perceived power of your own abilities to create opportunity. Love will be exhibited in a very conditional format. Materialism takes a substantial foothold. Truth is a very abstract concept and may appear to be relative depending upon the circumstances. Live for today, gathering as many toys and power and self-gratifying experiences as possible, for tomorrow I die - is the call of daily life.

Those who are in the found camp cannot expect those in the lost camp to act according to a biblical world view. Yet, we place expectations on the 'yet still lost' that creates friction - loving our neighbors does not mean that our neighbor (who is yet still lost) will think and act the same way as we who have been found and are instructed by God's Word do.

One will not understand nor follow the One that he does not yet know…yet, that is our expectation!

Might it be our heart's desire to be His bond-servant for His glory, filled with the Holy Spirit as He invites us to join in His work - full of grace and truth He came to seek and to save that which was lost…

Times and seasons…

The times we live in today have seemingly become more and more stressful and filled with frustration. No matter which way one turns, there always seems to be a struggle - nothing is ever easy nor proceeds without a hitch. One would think that in our continuing 'evolution' and technical progress we would live much easier and 'user friendly' lives. Yet the evidence is just the opposite - life is becoming harder, more frustrating and more difficult.

When glorification of self is the main focus of people today what can we expect to have happen around us?

Our natural tendency to react to our present environment is to respond in one of two ways: retreat (resulting in withdrawing from society) or become antagonistic (resulting in increasing aggressiveness).

Instead of allowing our natural inclinations to either retreat or become antagonistic lead us, might we seek another path:

When we are driving and get cut off, when we enter a store and are treated rudely, when we run up against any of the forms of harassment that seem to permeate our daily lives, when the daily issues of life that we must confront create tension and anxiety and frustration, when it seems to be that the world has truly lost its mind...

Let us take a breath, restrain the natural urge that wells up within our flesh and go to the Throne of Grace seeking His mercy and grace in our time of need. Allowing the Holy Spirit to fill us and flow through us so that we might walk in the Spirit, exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit in that moment.

When we get cut off in traffic - pray for that person and their salvation.

Before we enter into a store, place our hand on the building and pray for the people that are in that place (both the lost and the found) and that the light of the Lord's presence would pierce through the darkness.

When harassment comes pray against the wiles of the enemy and his lot and praise the Lord that He is in control.

When it seems that the world has lost its mind understand that we are not to be of this world and yet we are His ambassadors seeking to represent Him - His truth, His grace, His wisdom, His love.

It is the time and it is the season for all of His people to proceed boldly with confidence from our daily visits to His Throne of Grace so that we may be faithful ambassadors to Him in all of the activities of our daily lives.

2015...it begins!

As we begin 2015 might we ponder upon the following: 
 
God is looking for those with whom He can do the impossible -- what a pity that we plan only the things that we can do by ourselves. (A.W. Tozer) 
 
Spiritual victory is never our own; it comes from our Deliverer. (G. Wilkerson) 
 
God loves to use ordinary people and build them into people of extraordinary faith. (C. Smith) 
 
As we enter each and every day of this new year, let us gaze with fervent anticipation along with a steadfast expectation that the Lord will work (and is             working!) in and through and around us as He touches people's lives… 
May we have eyes to see and ears to hear and faith to act while we humbly grow in His grace and truth…and we shall be overwhelmed by His glory and           empowered by His loving-kindness.  (prb)