Your First 5 Minutes With God

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9) My life before Christ was pretty bleak and dark. There were brief moments of happiness, like the times my children were born, but mostly I wasn’t a very happy person. I really didn’t like most people. I was never mean to anyone, but I would use them to get what I wanted. I thought I wanted to party. I thought I had to get drunk or high in order to have a good time. What I was really doing was searching for something I didn’t even know existed. A hand-up, lifting me out of the darkness. I have to hit the pause button, on my somewhat busy life these days to think for a moment what it means to be part of a chosen people. I am chosen; believers are all a chosen people! That is a pretty weighty responsibility he’s laid on the shoulders of the followers of Jesus Christ. He didn’t plu...

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14) I’ve known many people who would do the very least they had to do to get the desired result. I was like that in high school. I would study just enough for a B or B+ average but that was about it. I joined the military after school and found myself competing with the men and women in my Tech School class for the highest grade. The only reward for that mark was bragging rights but that was enough for me to strive my hardest. What was missing in my effort was a higher, more lasting purpose. I was doing my best for myself and no one else. When my personal life tanked the first time, I could have turned to God to help me through, but instead, I continued in my rebellion. I blamed others for my failed marriage. I did things that were wrong, sometimes even illegal, because I thought they would take my internal pain away. I hurt other people, those I loved, by my sel...

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9) Are you like me and have a physical infirmity that God has not healed, even though you have prayed for relief before? At first, I didn’t understand why God wouldn’t heal me but then I realized, I’m in good company. The Apostle Paul had a “thorn in the flesh” that he prayed to God about three times. We don’t know what his “thorn” was but we know it bothered Paul. God chose not to heal him, but Paul was still able to do God’s work all over the Roman Empire. Even though he was afflicted in some way, he became the most prolific evangelist ever. God may leave me with my “thorns” to help me stay humble. My “thorn” is chronic, sometimes severe low back pain. I’ve had this pain since before I came to know Jesus. I have asked him a great many times for healing but ...

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) In my young adult life, before I was saved, I didn’t think there was anything to have hope in. I thought everyone lived for whatever they could get before they died. Some would have to be satisfied with very little, others would be able to accumulate more and more. Life to me was nothing more than a contest of materialism. I believed that whether I succeeded or not was left totally up to luck, and mine was always bad. I hoped I would win the lottery. I played football pools. I spent money on every kind of raffle you can think of, but I never won anything. One of the definitions of assurance is freedom from doubt. That’s what faith in our Lord Jesus Christ is; freedom from doubt. He gives me hope for my final and eternal destination. It’s not as trivial as hoping I’ll win the lottery. It’s not as inconsequential as wishing I could afford that big house up on the hill, with no rea...

The Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. (Romans 8.26) I remember the day I was baptized. It was the most wonderful day of my life. Nevertheless, that salvation experience didn’t bring with it the ability to speak to my savior in any meaningful way. I desperately wanted to tell the Lord what was in my heart. I was deeply sorry for past sins but any attempt to articulate my sorrows and gratitude seemed hollow. I was also in the midst of a great loss. I hoped God would help me get through and give me strength to go on. Still, I had no idea what to say or how to say it. However, it’s not just in those important and trying times that the Spirit speaks for me. I seldom pray as I ought. Most of the time I’m like a small child, unable to plainly express myself to the Lord. There are even times when I’m tempted by the devil to think God won’t listen because my pra...

Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left, turn your foot away from evil. (Proverbs 4:25-27) When I’m driving down a dark unfamiliar road I’m very attentive to what lies ahead. I don’t want to take the risk of an accident if I lose focus. My Christian walk deserves and requires the same focus and attention. There are many pitfalls vying for my consideration. One step to the left or right, toward sinful temptations, will result in a painful fall into unrighteousness. Painful, because it will require deep soul searching and repentance. It’s important to look straight ahead because it’s so easy to be lured off the righteous path. Jesus is always standing before me beckoning me to follow him and if I keep him at the center of my vision I will not stray too far. Temptation circles on either side of me trying to entice me to leave the upright...

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, (Titus 2:11-12) In this age, this world is full of vile and disgusting temptations. When I turn on the television it’s not hard to find programming that should turn every face bright red in embarrassment. I often receive emails enticing me to visit websites with explicit sexual images that no one should see, married or single. At one time in America, there were standards that kept the majority of people from being exposed to these things, but those days are long gone. I’m sure our secular society, as a whole, looks upon the way things are as progress. I doubt they see anything wrong with it. Even some of my Christian friends are so conditioned to the images they see, they don’t even think anything about it anymore. Our children play video games where killing your opponent is t...

But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3:13) When I first got saved, I was unprepared for the major life change that I had just signed up for. I liked to drink a few beers on the weekends. Every once in a while, I would drink bourbon whiskey. When I drank, I would get drunk. I didn’t have that switch inside me that said I’d had enough. Fortunately, a Christian friend took me aside and gently warned me about the sin of drunkenness, and a few other missteps I was taking. I learned my lesson. Both in how to accept advice and how to give it. It’s very easy for me to take a few baby steps toward God, and then one giant leap after another toward sinful behavior. Old unsaved friends, new unsaved friends, unsaved family members, will all inadvertently lead me astray, if I’m not careful.  More often than not, I will walk straight toward sin without any help from anyone. I will fall ...

“For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” (Matthew 16:25-26) God made me with a strong desire to live. If I’m sinking under water I will vigorously struggle to get back to the surface, so I can breathe. If I feel I’m in a dangerous situation my senses become heightened to meet whatever comes. It’s not something I have to think about, it’s instinctual. I’m inbred with the desire to save my life but there are places around the world where the confession of Christ brings with it a death sentence. It’s hard for me, living in the West, to fathom having to forfeit my life just for accepting the gift of salvation. However, that day will eventually come, even to America. Someday, if I’m still alive then, I will be ordered to worship a false god if I want to live. It will be fatal for my soul if I d...

Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2) My church is not there just so I can refill my spiritual cup every Sunday. It’s not just there so I can sing praise and worship to the Lord either. It is a gathering place for the Body of Christ, to share in each other’s lives. Yes, I worship and spiritually renew but I am also there to love and care for my brothers and sisters in Christ. They are there to love and care for me also. I thrive on my interactions at church and I’m there every time the doors are opened. I know there are people who walk into church every Sunday, spend their required time, and leave without saying a word to anyone else. I’ve even read of a guy who would leave the auditorium just before a mutual greeting time, so he wouldn’t have to say hello to anyone. He would return when everyone was seated again. What are they getting out of church if that’s their routine? These are the kind of people that need to hear an enco...

For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning. (Psalm 30:5) I’m sure that I have stirred God’s anger plenty of times in my life. Enough so that I know I deserved him to immediately toss me into hell. He has even protected me when, as a younger man, I would do something idiotic and dangerous that could have cost me my life. I have a feeling I’m not alone in that department. Young people do stupid things because they feel invincible. God has much more patience with me than I deserve and more than I sometime show others. I presume it’s not much different for you also. But fortunately for me, his anger is brief, and his patience seems to have no end, although I know it does. I have also had times of great sorrow and shed many tears. Even though those times seemed to take forever to get past, I know they weren’t that long in reality. Grief seems to stretch time out, making it feel like time is...

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8) Why have I spent so much time filling my mind with garbage? I’ve read unclean jokes or off-color cartoons and shared them on social media. I used to go to movies or watch things on television that are detestable to the Lord and thought nothing of it. My baser instincts are to gravitate toward the impure offerings of our entertainment industry. How can I, as a Christian, live a righteous life if I’m continuously feeding on the poisonous filth of this world? Instead, I should look for and promote the things that are wholesome and good. My money and time have power if I, as Christians, refuse to support the immorality that Hollywood puts out. If my ticket money, along with other Christians, is used to support good family entertainment, the fat cats in ...

If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother. (1 John 4:20-21) Before I was saved, the list of people I loved was pretty short, and included mostly the people in my family. However, my hate list was very long indeed. The ones who wronged me in some way were those I reserved my deepest scorn for. There was, for example, Diane C. who made fun of me on the playground when I was eight. David O. who punched me at the bowling alley when I was twelve. I can’t forget Steve T. a bully who stuffed me in a hall locker at school when I was fourteen. This is a minuscule part of the list, but you can see how I could hold a grudge. Of course, for the majority of people, I was just indifferent, which is really more of a passive-aggressive hate than anything else. After Jesus came into my life,...

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes. (Romans 1:16) As a Christian I have the greatest news most of the world doesn’t believe and couldn’t care less about. I am often afraid to share it because I fear the ridicule and taunting that often comes from those who are lost. However, I know Jesus stands with me through the Holy Spirit to give me strength. If I let him he will be my voice through the scriptures he gave us. I don’t have to be ashamed of my faith. It has brought me peace when the world around me seems to be falling apart. Whether you believe it or not, everyone has a soul. Your soul and mine are going to spend eternity somewhere. There are only two places where a soul can end up. The first is a place of endless reward, beyond description in its beauty and wonder, because the Father is there in heaven. The second is equally indescribable but not for its beauty, but for its terrifying torment. It’s...

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:43-45) For me, this is quite possibly, the hardest of all of Jesus’ commands to follow. How do I love my enemies? After all, they are an enemy for a reason. They’ve done something either physically or emotionally to hurt me. Am I supposed to pray they succeed in hurting me even more or prosper in their evil endeavors? Why would Jesus command me to love and pray for them? I have been hurt very deeply in the past and I’m sure I’ve done the same to others. Before I was saved, I once worked for a man who, for whatever reason, thought it was his job to criticize and belittle me on a daily basis. He would take my work and put his name on it and turn it in to ...