Tag Archives: spiritual walk

Don’t stop climbing, God has good things in store for you!

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cropped-sawtooth-mountians11.jpgI began experiencing a whole new adventure growing up once we had moved to a ranch nestled in the midst of some of the most gorgeous mountainous landscape in central Idaho. Though in the beginning, this previous flatlander, was intimidating and claustrophobic, it soon became one of the greatest seasons of my younger life. It was through this experience that I learned many truths from nature and the mountains around. The first was that climbing a mountain is much like going through life, tough at times.

I think most of us can say there have been some mountain peaks and some valleys along our life’s journey. It is like the natural process when you climb to the summit of a literal mountain, you go through some valleys and ravines to get to the more elevated peaks. There seems to always be another valley before another peak, as we move higher and achieve greater heights. Existing in the lower bottoms of life or even camping in the higher plateaus might be more convenient and a whole lot easier, but there is no greater adventure or achievement then getting to the top. If you stay comfortable and not climb you will never get to see the incredible view or breath the fresh air that you do from the summit.

I believe that many, even though they haven’t reached their destiny have made some significant progress as they have pursued God’s will for their lives. We must realize that our walk of faith is a process and doesn’t come over night. Going forward in faith will never be defined as “smooth and easy” but it does hold a promise of achieving Godly rewards. (1 Cor 9:25-26)

Speaking to Christians in Corinth Paul relates our walk of faith as running a race to win not to just nonchalantly participating in it. (vs 24) Also, Paul at the end of his life describes his own journey in 2 Tim 4:7-8 saying, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness”. Paul shares some of his testimony and journey in 2 Cor 11:23-28, where he lists what he had gone through. His words and life experiences confirm the fact that our journey of faith is anything but apathetical or uneventful, having what we would describe as ups and downs along the way.

If we are not focused during these times in the valleys they can seem like “failures or setbacks”, but if we keep our eyes on Jesus as our Good Shepherd and are surrendered to His will, then we can stand in confidence as overcomers. Paul declares this in Phil 4:13 where he says, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”.

Even when we have gone through extreme and unpleasant situations along life’s climb we can come out better and stronger in our faith on the other side. These low points allow us to see and experience His faithfulness as He takes us by the hand and leads us, as a loving shepherd, through the shadows of death into green lush pastures. (Ps 23)

In Heb10:35-36 Paul encourages the believers to not cast their confidence in Christ away, but to endure in their faith and finish the will of God. Not being hindered by anything that would enslave us and stop us from completing our journey or “running the race” of faith. (1 Cor 9:25) We do this by keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith. (Heb 12:2) So don’t Stop Climbing Now! God has good things in store for you!

We can’t Just Sit Here until we Die

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INDIA-SOCIETY         I remember while I was in junior high school, I tried out for the basketball team. Though I made the team, it was to my disappointment that I was only good enough to be on the B-team. The coach challenged us saying that if we worked hard in practice that we might get promoted up to the A-team. I took the challenge to heart and began to practice my hardest, only to find that I was still on the secondary team.   After several weeks had gone by, with no advancement, I began to let my disappointment get the best of me. I soon began to settle for my lot in life, so I thought, and got content with being on the B-team, not trying anymore to be promoted. I knew at least I would get a letter at the awards banquet for participating.

Paul let us know our journey in this life wasn’t going to be a cake walk. For he said in 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” He let us know we would have to fight, signifying it was an aggressive

Why should we settle for anything less than God’s best?     (tweet)

action to achieve God’s plan for our life. When you are willing to settle for the good instead of going for the best, the good has become the enemy of the best   The church has settled for the good meetings and good conferences for too long. We have allowed ourselves to settle for the average growth rate and average impact instead of going for God’s best! God’s best is God’s outpouring of revival on his church. Why should we settle for anything less than God’s best? What would happen if the church would get sick of being complacent and satisfied and quit bowing down to the norm of our society? Let’s look at a story in 2 Kings 6: 24–29; 7: 1–8, where Syria laid siege to the city of Samaria. In the midst of devastation, the man of God speaks the word of the Lord, declaring that deliverance was at hand. Then the scripture zooms in on four lepers sitting outside the city gate, for the law commanded them to dwell alone and Continue reading →

Seasons of Life will Mold Us and Grow Us!

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647348213It was as if God took His pallet of bright oil colors and creatively painted on the canvas of the landscape. It was so breathtaking; the leaves were so bright and colorful. There’s nothing more beautiful than the changing of the seasons especially in the fall. The crisp air is so fresh and exhilarating along with the beauty of God’s handiwork.

For those that live in a region of the world where you’re fortunate to experience four seasons, you know how incredible it can be to see the change unfold before your eyes. When you really stop to think about it, one moment it is hotter than hot and then before you know it it’s chilly in the mornings. Frost on the windshield soon turns to ice and snow. Then before long the trees begin to bud and the grass comes alive and

Embrace each season in your life with faith in God and allow Him to mold you and grow you through it. (tweet)

turns a vibrant green. God transform the scenery all year long displaying the miracle of His hands.

In scripture we see Jesus using the natural examples to reprimand the people for not being aware and knowing the seasons that they were living in. In Matt 16:3-4 we read, “You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.” Most of us can get it right in depicting the seasons and times of nature but are clueless when it comes to the season of life. Yet God desires us to understand spiritual seasons. It says in 1 Chron 12:32, that the family of Issachar knew the times and what to do in them.

We are gripped as we read the changing seasons in the story of Joseph. His life is laid out before us in Gen. 37-50. It starts out with his youthfulness being mixed with Continue reading →

“Christ-Must” list or Christ Centered Communion?

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christmas List  Remember the excitement when you were a child making your Christmas list. It was a time that your imagination would sky rocket and every new toy and gadget became a possibility for your list. In your mind there was never an issue about money or if it was even practical for you or not. We became consumed by the monster of greed and desire! The list could go on as long as our paper or our fingers could write. Those childhood memories will never be forgotten as they found their place snuggled in each of our hearts.

In the same manner many Christians treat their prayer life as if they are making that Christmas list once again. They come to God in prayer with a list of wants of fairytale proportions.  As a Christian it is nonproductive and spiritually unhealthy to have a “Santa Clause mentality” which degrades our walk of faith to nothing more than a lifestyle that teeters in the fairytale realm.

If we are not careful we will think and act like Ralphie, the young kid in the 1983 classic movie “Christmas Story”. He wanted a Red Rider BB gun for Christmas so desperately bad that he was consumed with making sure that Santa Claus knew what he wanted. The only thing that seemed to matter was for him to wait in line to be able to sit on Santa’s lap and tell him his Christmas list. How many Christian’s have a prayer life that resembles this same frantic feeling that they must hand Jesus their LIST? Does that sound familiar? Have you allowed your prayer time to be turned into nothing more than a Christ-must list or is it as it should be a place of Christ centered communion? Our prayer life must continue to develop from a passion to know Christ more.

I do understand that there are many facets of prayer and definitely realize that there is a time that we go to our heavenly Father with our needs and supplications. But if our prayer time is only defined by our list and what we need, then we are missing the joy and most important element of prayer.

We have been given the privilege and most awesome opportunity to minister unto Him. It’s when we come into His presence in worship and adoration that will lead us into the greatest and deepest point of our prayer life, the place of pure undefiled communion.  Transitioning from that attitude of “it’s all about us” to an eternal attitude of “living for the King” only happens when we can die to ourselves and live for His purposes in the earth.

Prayer is much greater than just a list of wants. It is a time that we respond to God’s invitation to come into His presence. He has always wanted us to abide with Him. We can see that all the way back to the Garden of Eden where God walked and talked with Adam and Eve. There was a sweet peaceful communion in the presence of the creator of the universe.

It was God’s idea and desire to walk and share His heart with His creation. From the very beginning of time, God created us to be in His presence and to know His heart. Let me ask you, “Have you ever taken the time to ask the Lord what’s on His list?  Or have you been so enthroned in our self-indulgence that we never even stop to hear or listen.

I encourage you as well as everyone to put down our “Christ-Must” list and reach higher in prayer to know His heart.

Unforgiveness is the Cancer of the Soul

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The effects of revival in our land have on different occasions in history touched even the White House.  President Lincoln, being concerned about America’s condition, its success and independence as well as a country be ripped apart.  He gave his Proclamation for a National Day of Fasting, Humiliation and Prayer.  On April 30,1863, President Abraham Lincoln said, “… It behooves us then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.”[i]   The results of the great revival that had been happening in America not only carried on, but lasted for many years.  It had begun in a passion for prayer and was sustained with faithfulness of prayer!  Mathew Henry once said “When God intends a great mercy for His people, He first sets them a praying.” We must find the place of prayer!  We must allow the Holy Spirit to convict us of anything that would stop His flow in us and through us. 

God wants us to pray from a heart of purity that we might see Him in His fullness and in dimensions of His great mercy.  Even in the midst of blessing and revival we can allow the enemy to get a foot hold in our lives. In Matt. 6:14-15 it says, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (NKJV)   Anytime we allow our soul to be infected with the spiritual cancer of bitterness and unforgiveness, it will hinder God’s moving in our lives and those around us.

  • Unforgiveness will stop your prayer life!
  • Bitterness that is bottled up inside you will defile you and others.
  • Lets deal with our bitterness and unforgiveness so that we can have a pure heart.

How can we expect to talk to our heavenly Father who has forgiven us when we ourselves are holding bitterness and unforgiveness in our own hearts towards others?  In the Gospel of Mark we read “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.”  ( Mark 11:25  NKJV)

 Search your heart for any area

of defilement in you.

[i]   Arthur S. DeMoss Foundation , The Rebirth Of America, 1986, p. 151