I Once Was Blind, But Now I See

“Behold, God is my salvation;   I will trust, and will not be afraid;  for the  Lord   God  is my strength and my song,  and he has become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2 So often growing up, I would hear this amazing testimony, and I would be a little jealous. I know. I know. It sounds a little weird. As many of you know, I am the epitome of weird. However, one day it hit me "Am I looking at the testimony, or the one and only God who made that testimony possible?" The problem with this line of thinking is that our testimony is based on us. Sure, we make choices in our life, and some of them are stupid. There is an old saying "If you are going to be stupid, you have to be tough." It is true that our decisions help guide our testimony, it is not true that our testimony's foundation is built on our past. The etymology of guide is to lead. In the sense of our testimony, our choices do lead us in a path. However, this path is much bigger than our choices. Roman...

How can someone withstand trials? Through the cancer in my eye, and now in my liver, this has been something that I have had to wrestle with in real time. From what I see in the Bible, it all comes down to our position in Christ. “There is a danger in preaching a kind of grace that is only a reaction against legalism and gives no thought to licentiousness. Grace protects from both errors by keeping us from the despair of believing that we must merit God’s love, and from the danger of thinking that God has given us no guidance for how to love him and one another.” (Bryan Chapell)  Grace...it is so misunderstood and misapplied. I have heard people ask for grace. I have heard people try to convince people that they deserve grace. I have also heard people try to teach that everyone gets the same amount and same type of grace. 2 Timothy 1:9 [Jesus] who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ ...

Incurable - Beyond the skill or power of medicine. I will never forget the words the doctor said to us "This is your only option, and this cancer is incurable." Thinking through the Bible, God is the miraculous God. He parted the Red Sea. He walked on water. He caused the sun to stand still. He tore down the walls of Jericho. He caused fire from Heaven to consume the water and the alter. He raised Lazarus from the dead. He made a lame man walk again. He healed the blind. He raised a girl from the dead. He fed 5,000 people with a boys lunch.  You say "incurable?" I say, "Let me introduce you to the Creator of the universe." He saved me from my incurable disease called sin. He adopted me as His child. I have the best inheritance awaiting me. " And  the peace of God,  which surpasses all understanding..." (Philippians 4:7) Mercy Me came out with the song "Even If." It is so good. I love the chorus. I know You're able and I know You can...

JOB 12:10 In his hand is the life of every living thing  and the breath of all mankind. My latest visit to the doctor was a curve ball. God brings trials when we least expect it. We have the best doctor in the southeast helping us with my health. He informed us that I have stage 4 incurable liver cancer. I have 1 tennis ball sized tumor, 1 golf ball sized tumor, and about 6 other tumors. They are going to treat the tumors with chemo. However, the problem is that this form of cancer will continue to produce more and more tumors. Today, at our Day Camp, I spoke on how God used the bad things in Joseph's life to move him into position to accomplish His will. Isaiah 55:8 " My plans aren’t your plans,  nor are your ways my ways, says the   Lord ." In my finite earthly sin cursed mind, I have no idea why God is doing this. I know that my God is perfect, holy, righteous, and can only do good. Life is a gift from the Lord. Death is not death to the believer. It is merely a c...

“Forgive me for being so ordinary while claiming to know so extraordinary a God.” ―  Jim Elliot I am sure most of us have found ourselves being satisfied with where we are in a particular time or place. I know I have many times. I have found myself complacent about extending my energy when it may or may not get noticed. God is the master Creator of all things. He intricately designed everything, even down to the smallest molecule. " He has saved  us and called  us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done  but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time." (2 Timothy 1:9) God is not bound by time. God is grace, therefore His grace was in action before time was created. God is the King of all kings, and the Lord of all lords. We have the opportunity to worship and serve the Creator. There is nothing ordinary about God.  In order to understand our proper position with God, we must understand w...

 So many times, we get so busy with life that we forget what is most important. We tend to push things out that go against our hectic and fruitful life. Isn't this is the American dream? We have a house, a couple of cars, vacation fund, 401K, a wife, and some kids.  A problem that can accompany this mindset is that we place God into a segment of our life. We are good with God as long as He stays in His rightful place. We don't need Him to be adventurous, and come into other areas of our life. This, my friend, is terrible theology. God is sovereign over all things. Let's look at the following verses. I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things. (Isaiah 45:7) The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he wills. (Proverbs 21:1) In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind. (Job 12:10) Looking at the verses above, God controls everything:...

When Worship Becomes Idolatry By: Adrian  Ashmore Board of Directors for Seeking the City May 17, 2023 Due to the nature of sin and its pervasive working in our lives we often take what God gives us, to bless us, and turn it into an object of worship.  Maybe it’s a new job or a spouse or a child?  No matter what it is, if we love it more than God, if we seek to know it better than God, if we spend more time enjoying it than God, we have made it an idol.  For some it’s sports, for others it is science, and for many Christians it is the Church or better said certain aspects of the Church. God has given us ministers to faithfully preach the word, teachers to teach it, members to fellowship with, and choirs and worship teams to prepare our hearts to hear the word of God.  All those things are wonderful and I, for one, am thankful we have them.  But if we go to church for the teacher, the preacher, a certain family or friend, the music, or anything other th...