Dan’s Ramblings

During the annual Missions Conference, we look forward to “rubbing shoulders” with the missionaries, hearing their testimonies, seeing their slides, and sensing their passion. We know that we will hear great preaching regarding the Great Commission. We expect to be encouraged to pray more, and challenged to give more. And every year, the guest preacher – whoever he may be – always asks the same question: “Could God be calling YOU to surrender YOUR life to missions?”

Today’s culture has the habit of measuring a task by the “level of difficulty” in which it is required to perform that task.  However, our obedience to the Lord should never be based upon “level of difficulty.”

We read of the heroes of the Faith in the Bible, and we learn of the difficult tasks that God performed because of their “level of faith” in Him.  The level of difficulty required to perform the task had nothing to do with their obedience, but their level of faith in God is what prompted them to do what they did.

When God calls you to perform a difficult task, He is looking at your level of faith in Him, not at the level of difficulty required in which to perform that task.

What is God calling you to do that seems terribly hard, or even impossible?  As far as God is concerned, the “level of difficulty” is irrelevant, for with God nothing is impossible!

 

“Jesus is the reason for the season,” is not a true statement.

Now, before you write me off as a heretic, think about it.

Why did Jesus come in the first place?  His purpose in coming to this earth was to provide salvation for mankind.  Only through His sacrificial death on the cross – and His miraculous resurrection – can we be saved.

The Bible says in Isaiah 53:5 and 6 says, “But He was wounded for OUR transgressions, He was bruised for OUR iniquities…and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of US ALL.”  In Luke 2:11, the angel of the LORD said unto the shepherds, “unto YOU is born … a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” (Emphasis added)

When you get right down to it, you can look at yourself in the mirror and say:

“YOU are the reason for the season.”

“YOU are the reason that Jesus, the sinless Son of God, left Heaven and the praise of the angels.”

“YOU are the reason Jesus Christ came to this earth, was born of a virgin, and was placed in a borrowed manger.”

“YOU are the reason Jesus Christ suffered, died on the cross, was buried in a borrowed tomb, and gloriously resurrected the third day.”

“YOU are the reason Jesus Christ was humiliated and crucified, to pay YOUR sin-debt.”

Don’t take this the wrong way.  The Christmas season is not about YOU; it’s about Jesus!  Jesus is the reason for the celebration, but YOU are the reason for the season.

This Christmas, let us praise God for giving us His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and let us be eternally grateful that His reason for coming was so that WE could be saved.  “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15)

Many Christians believe that it is stylish to wear the brand of clothing, “Under Armour,” but more important than having on your Under Armour is to have on your Outer Armor, the whole “armor of God.”

The Bible tells us repeatedly that the Christian life is a battle, and we can’t afford to be underdressed and unprepared in time of war.  We are told to put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-18), and to fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12).

I know that Christians have on their helmet of salvation, and they carry the shield of faith, but what about the breastplate of righteousness?  For many Christians, that piece of armor has been neglected and omitted because, they say, it binds, confines, restricts, and is uncomfortable.  Many of the younger soldiers never got into the habit of wearing the breastplate of righteousness, stating that only the old-fashioned legalists still wear that antiquated piece of armor.

Some Christian soldiers don’t habitually use their belt of Truth, which usually leaves them in a situation somewhat embarrassing.  I’ve seen some cocky, worldly Christians that are too “cool” to use the belt of Truth, but when they really needed it, they ended up, “looking like a fool with their pants on the ground!”

Other Christians go out barefooted, leaving their Gospel shoes at home in the rack.  When a bad situation comes upon you, you will need your shoes to be able to stand your ground without slipping and sliding.

I believe that one of the main reasons why Christians keep losing the battle to temptation is that they don’t take the time to “suit up” with their spiritual armor, they aren’t prepared for battle, and they aren’t fighting.  If you go out into the battlefield without your armor, unskilled with your Sword, and not expecting a fight, you won’t see the enemy coming, and you’re going to lose every time.

The Christian life is not a leisurely walk in the park, but a dangerous mission into enemy territory.  Be expecting aggressive and violent attacks by the foe.  You will get shot at, traps will be set for you to fall into, and you will be vulnerable to the enemy if you go out for a casual stroll.  Don’t ever expect to get the victory if you’re not going to fight.  He is out to destroy you, so be ready to fight!

 

Written by DLB – 9 November 2014

I have a nice looking, sturdy silver flashlight.  I have noticed, though, that there must be a bad connection internally.  Last night, I had to go outside and check on something around 11:00pm.  I pushed the button on my flashlight to turn it on as I walked out the door.  It shone brightly.  However, as I walked up the steps to where I needed to go, the beam of light went out as I hit the last step, which happened to be the darkest place.  It was very dark, so I was a bit uneasy as I walked into an area where there could be creepy-crawly things lurking about, or “land mines” strategically placed by our domestic animals.  I pushed the “on/off” button numerous times, but to no avail.  I shook and beat the flashlight to try and get the faulty, internal connections to re-connect, but it was useless.  I quickly checked on what needed to be done with the help of the light from the screen of my cell phone.  As I descended the steps, when I reached the next-to-last step the flashlight came back on and beamed brightly.  It was frustrating to me that the flashlight seemed to work fine in the light, but refused to shine in the darkness.

That reminded me of some Christians that can shine brightly at church on Sundays, and perhaps even on Wednesday nights at prayer meeting.  However, during the rest of the week when they are walking in a lost and dark world, they refuse to shine when they are needed the most!  The reason that those Christians don’t shine in the darkness is because they have a “faulty, internal” problem – a problem with their heart.

Christian friend, at church on Sundays, we love to greet you, see your smiling face, shake your hand, and hug you.  We know you, we know you’re saved, and we appreciate that you let your light shine at church, but there’s already light inside the church house.  However, it’s on Monday when you go to school, or work, or to the grocery store, or hang out with other “soccer moms” when your light needs to shine brightly where there is no light.

Just like my faulty flashlight that is not much good when I needed it the most, neither is a Christian that doesn’t shine for Jesus in this dark world.  Get the faulty connection fixed in your heart so that Jesus can shine through you, and then you can “let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!”

Do you know what it means to be, “running on fumes”?  It’s when the gasoline in your vehicle has been almost completely used up, and you wonder how you’ll make it to the next gas station.  You know that you needed to fill up your gas tank yesterday, but were just too busy with other things.  This morning, you ran out to go to work, drop off the kids, or meet up with a friend.  Unfortunately you woke up late, and now you are in a hurry again, and your gas is about to run out.  You gave a big sigh of relief when you finally pull in to the gas station, knowing that you were running on fumes.  You got out of your car and very quickly pump in $3.00 worth of gas.  You knew that you should “fill ‘er up,” but you just didn’t have time.

However, you don’t know what you’re going to come across as you travel on your way.  There may be an accident up ahead causing traffic to come to a crawl, or an unexpected detour that could take you some distance out of your way.  What if an emergency happens and you need to take a loved one to the hospital?  You will wish that you had taken the extra few minutes to fill your tank, so that whatever happens today, you would have been ready for it.

Your spiritual life is the same way.  The Bible tells us in Ephesians 5:18 to be “filled with the Spirit.”  The sad fact of the matter is that many Christians are “running on fumes,” spiritually speaking.  Most Christians do not take the necessary time to “fill up” their spiritual gas tank.  They will put in about $3.00 of spiritual fuel just to get by.  Christians are too busy with things of this earth, and they don’t make their spiritual life a priority.  Many Christians wake up and rush out the door, not knowing what they are going to face each day.  We all need to take the necessary time to fill up our spiritual gas tank every day, and be filled with the Spirit.  Make some time to spend with the Lord today, and begin by saying, “Lord, fill ‘er up!”

 

Author’s note: My problem is getting to the “filling station” and getting distracted.  I can get to the place where I’m supposed to fill up my spiritual gas tank, but I sit and drink some coffee, surf the internet, do some writing, or read a novel.  It’s like driving up to a real gas station, but instead of getting gas, I spend my time in the convenience store, and my gas tank remains unfilled.  My car won’t go far on coffee and donuts.  I need to stop getting distracted and focus on getting my gas tank filled, or I am going to wind up stranded somewhere down the road because I didn’t get what I needed to get.

Get off the computer.  Read your Bible.  Pray.  Get filled with the Spirit today.

Do you sometimes feel lost and alone, forgotten, destitute, not knowing which way to go?  As you go through the struggles and stresses of life, does it seem as if no one cares?  Have you ever felt like you’re in the middle of the desert?

Believe it or not, being in the desert is not always a bad thing.

1.  Moses met God in the “backside” of the desert.  Ex. 3:1

2.  Jesus often went to a desert place on purpose.  Mt. 14:13

* Those that followed Jesus into the desert were miraculously healed.

* Those that followed Jesus into the desert were miraculously fed.

3.  Jesus told His disciples to go to a desert place to find rest.  Mk. 6:31

4.  The desert place is a good place to find Jesus.  Lk. 4:42

5.  God provided and did some great miracles for His people in the desert.  Jn. 6:31

6.  God may send you into a desert so that you can win someone to the Lord there, even if it is just one person.  At. 8:26

Instead of feeling sorry for yourself about being in the desert, look for God there, seek out Jesus, find rest for your soul, expect God to do a miracle there, and look for someone else that needs to find Jesus there, too.

Instead of focusing on the desert, look for the oasis.

Do you know anyone that has “lots of potential”?  I do.  This person has the potential to go far in life, and be used of God in a great way.

The 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 has lots of potential, too, with a potent 505 horsepower engine.  It looks sharp, and has the potential to go far, go fast, and get you to your destination in first-class style.

The comparison of the person with lots of potential, and the Camaro Z/28 should be obvious.  To go anywhere, you have to get out of the garage!  You’re not going anywhere if you don’t put the key in the ignition and turn the key.

The Z/28 has a great deal of bragging points, but I want to see it, hear it, DRIVE IT!  I want to get behind the wheel and see what it can do.  Just cranking the engine, but leaving it parked in the driveway is a waste.  When there are things to do, places to go, and people to see, put your “potential” in gear and get going!

God didn’t give you lots of potential to stay stopped in the garage.  To whom much is given, much is required.  (Luke 12:48)  Fire up your engine, and let’s see what you can do for the glory of God!

Don’t be afraid of picking up your roots and following God’s leading to a new and different place.

God led Abraham to move, not even knowing to where he was going. God moved Joseph to Egypt, and only God knew the purpose of that at the time, but we all know now. For Moses, constant change was a way of life. Daniel was taken captive to Babylon, and we can read of how God used him in ways he never could have imagined. The Apostle Paul was a missionary, and he was constantly picking up his roots and heading off to a new place. And finally, the Lord Jesus Christ had eternally been at Home in Heaven when He left His “comfort zone”, said “I’ll be back” to His Father, and “moved” away from all that He had ever known.

Moving can be a scary thing, but it may be that God wants to use you in ways you never could imagine in a new and different place. If God doesn’t move you, then stay put. However, it may be that your “promised land” is waiting your arrival. Perhaps God wants to meet you on your “Mount Sinai.” He may lead you to, and miraculously deliver you from your “lion’s den” to show His power. Or, perhaps like Jesus, God may use your life in a faraway place to take the Light of the Gospel to someone who would never have a chance to hear the Good News had you not gone. Read more →

Yesterday I took my van to the shop for my transmission fluid and filter to be changed, along with some minor adjustments.  It had not been done in a long time because, honestly, I had not thought about it.  (Please, no one kick me in the seat of the pants, because I already did that to myself.)  Left unattended, it had become filthy, and also had caused us some problems.  I thought that it was something serious when we first noticed the problem, expecting it to be very costly.  Since we did not have the money to pay for the repair, the van was left sitting in the garage for over a month, unusable.

When I first took the van to the shop, the owner drove the van around, but it did not present any problem for the thirty minutes he drove it.  He recommended that the fluid and filter be changed, and he was the one that said that he could make some adjustments to make the van run more smoothly.  The next day, I took the van in and dropped it off.  After about three hours, he called me and said that my van was done.  When I arrived back at the shop, the guy that did the work met me out front.  I asked him how it was, and he said the fluid was black, but now the transmission is perfect.  I was able to drive it to church last Thursday night for Prayer Meeting, and all over São Paulo on Friday.  It is in good running condition, for which we praise the Lord!  For five weeks our van sat unused because the regularly scheduled maintenance was left undone.

Christian, you need to put on your daily calendar a time to do some spiritual “maintenance.”  If not, the filth and sludge will “clog up” and hinder your spiritual operation.  It will also leave you “sitting in the garage,” going nowhere, unused, and unusable.  This van of ours that was parked in the garage for five weeks not only affected me, but also my wife and children.  It also affected others that needed a ride to church, but because it was unusable, I could not pick up anyone.  A dirty life affects more than just you.

With clean transmission fluid, a new filter, and some minor adjustments, my van is now operating normally, and being useful.  It made a world of difference.

Christian friend, how is your spiritual “transmission”?