The Sounds of Christmas

We all have our attachments to the sights and sounds of the Christmas season. Christmas music is certainly one of the key pieces for each of us. Personally, I have to be really ready for Christmas music before I can listen to it. My timetable is a little different each year but when I’m ready, I’m ready.

While I definitely love a great rendition of my favorites like O Holy Night, the unquestionable peak of the Christmas season is Hallelujah in Handel’s Messiah. There is nothing like the power and majesty of that song. The Christmas season just wouldn’t be complete without hearing it a few times - especially with a live choir.

The lyrics of the Messiah come, primarily, from the following passage in Isaiah that point prophetically to the coming of Christ over 700 years before His birth:

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

This verse introduces the “throne names” for Christ - Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Each name is very important in our faith and are interdependent yet interconnected. In other words, He is either all of them or none of them. Only God’s son could fill this throne.

As our Wonderful Counselor, Jesus is not our therapist, but instead is our “Helper” who comes along beside us. We are told this in several places in scripture - particularly in the Gospel of John. As our “Helper,” He provides trustworthy wisdom and daily direction in our lives through that guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Though Jesus would be a descendant of the mighty warrior, King David, he would not be merely a human king but a divine ruler. The name Mighty God means “God is a warrior.” God himself would step into the battle and fight for his people. We need the strength found in a Mighty God to fight these battles. Left to our own, we could not win against such forces of evil, but with Christ we are more than conquerors.

In ancient times, a king was considered the royal father of the nation. The name Everlasting Father does not mean the Father of the Trinity, but a father in terms of being a caring protector of his people. This ruler-to-come would watch over and protect his people. And unlike any of Israel’s previous kings, this king’s dynasty would never come to an end; his is an everlasting rule.

The Christmas season brings songs of peace - something all humanity longs for. Ever since the fall in the Garden, the world has hungered peace. While most earthly rulers strive to maintain peace, this Prince of Peace will usher in real and lasting peace. Through his perfect life and sacrificial death, Jesus Christ would bring peace between man and God. He makes a way for God’s people to come into his presence once again.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27).

Peace,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

When Our Best is Required

Tae Crowder played football for Georgia from 2015-19. He was not a highly recruited player when he was signed as a running back out of high school. He was offered a scholarship at the last minute when another RB that Georgia was recruiting went elsewhere. While a very good 3 sport athlete, he didn’t make it as a running back at the college level. He was moved to linebacker and gave him an opportunity to play on special teams to try to make a contribution to the team.

In 2017, Crowder’s 3rd year, Georgia played Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl and he was a starter on the kick return team. Oklahoma scored a TD with about 10 seconds to go before halftime to go up by 17 points, 31-14. Oklahoma kicked off and surprisingly kicked a low, squib kick that was coming near Crowder on the front row where he played. Crowder instinctively snagged the ball out of mid-air and immediately went down to keep the clock from running any further. Georgia had time to throw a quick sideline pass to get in field goal range and then their kicker made a 55 yarder as time expired to cut the lead to only 14 points. Georgia was able to tie the game in the second half by the end of regulation and then won it in overtime. This seemingly insignificant play made a tremendous difference in the outcome of the game.

Tae Crowder was out on the front line of the kick return team in part because he had great hands. He played shortstop in baseball growing up and had taken thousands of reps snagging balls out of the air. He had no way of knowing that this skill would be used one day to help Georgia win the Rose Bowl.

Crowder finally became a starter his Sr. year at UGA and was actually picked the in the NFL draft. Interestingly enough, he earned the dubious honor of being named Mr. Irrelevant which is given annually to the last player picked in the draft. The last player rarely ever makes it on an NFL roster even for one year. Tae Crowder beat those odds and is currently a starting linebacker for the NY Giants. Needless to say, I love this story!

I heard a recent definition of greatness as “being at your best when your best is required.” I love this as well. As it correlates to Tae’s story, his great moment in college came when he was able to use a skill from a completely different sport. I believe that God works though us many times as well. Many experiences that we have prepare us for moments when “our best is required.” One challenge is that we don’t know when these moments are going to come. How do we prepare ourselves for them - to be at our best when our best is required?

I believe that if we are abiding daily with God, not weighed down by unrepentant sins, and we work on our sanctification by trying the become the best version of ourselves, we will be best positioned for those moments “when our best is required.” We typically don’t get time to prepare in the moment or go through a dress rehearsal, we just have to be ready - ready for “greatness.”

Get well Will! We love you!

Stay hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

Tuscany & Electric Bikes

Julie and I had the opportunity to stay at an amazing place in Tuscany called Castello di Casole. The resort was out in the Tuscan hills surrounded by their vineyard and olive groves. Many of the things that were served in the restaurant came fresh from their property - wine, olive oil, vegetables and, yes, wild boar. It was a very memorable place.

They have many activities for their guests including bikes. There are miles of gravel roads and trails in the surrounding hills so I was excited about taking a long bike ride - especially after a week straight of eating pasta twice per day.

I got a trail map from the hotel and saw that you could take a big (25 km) or small (12 km) loop. The big loop takes you to a small village on a hilltop called Mensano. You could see it in the distance and this sounded like the perfect journey for me. I was going to Mensano and wasn’t going to be denied - ha.

When I saw the perfectly organized bike rack, I noticed that there was a collection of shiny new electric bikes with a single orange mountain bike alone on the end of the row. I knew that the orange bike was for me because I don’t do electric bikes. I mean, what’s the point of getting on an electric bike when you need exercise and something to conquer. My inner prideful voice told me that electric bikes are for the “weak.”

Fortunately for me, my lovely and wise wife walked up about that time and kindly pointed out the severity of the surrounding terrain. I reluctantly reconsidered my decision when I realized that I could just use the electric juice on an “as needed” basis. This satisfied my conquering spirit so I mounted up and off I went.

It didn’t take long for me to swallow my pride and hit the juice on the bike to get me up some of the hills. It was quite nice being able to go back and forth riding under my own power and getting some help on the steep climbs up gravel roads. Some of the hills were so steep that I would imagine that most mortals would have to walk even an electric bike up them. I will neither confirm nor deny whether I did….

In addition to the intense terrain, I became “directionally challenged” (some refer to this as lost) at various points on the trip. I even had to do the unthinkable and ask for directions (twice) - my second battle with pride. After overcoming the language barrier with directions and making the decision to ignore a well marked “no trespassing” gate, I was able to experience the exhilarating final, electric juice aided climb to Mensano. The village was not the prize but rather the experience and lessons along the way.

Pride would have prevented me from getting to Mensano. I would have never made it on a regular bike pedaling completely in my own strength. Neither would I have made it without getting directional help from others who had already made the journey. I thought about this all the way back to Castello and knew that the experience was a great life lesson and a blog waiting to happen.

How often in life do we allow pride to interfere with opportunities and great things that God has in store for us? In addition to my own personal life, I see how destructive pride can be in businesses, churches, friendships and families. There are over 60 warnings in scripture about the pitfalls of pride and God’s hatred of it. Pride is a threat to God’s supremacy in our lives.

Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom

Proverbs 16:5 The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall

James 4:6 God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

Stay humble,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

Impressions from Italy

Julie and I loved our trip to Italy. Given the fact that we really experienced four different trips within one - Venice, Portofino, Tuscany & Florence - we felt like we were in a steady state of “sensory overload” with all of the varying sights of our surroundings. Each was very different than the one before.

One of the constants impressions from out travels was the prominent sight of churches everywhere we went. Every village, town and city had a beautiful steeple rising above the surrounding buildings. They were truly the centerpiece of each community. A good example of this is in Venice which is made up of a collection of 117 small islands. Most of these islands are linked by foot bridges that cross over their unique canal system while some are accessed only by boat. Interestingly enough, Venice also has the exact some number of churches - 117 islands, 117 churches. This is not a coincidence.

As we drove through coastal areas and the beautiful countryside, all of the towns and villages had the common denominator of a towering church defining the landscape around it. The cities were much the same way with a church standing prominently in each neighborhood. We had the opportunity to visit several and it’s just stunning to see the effort that was put into building these sanctuaries anywhere from 300 to 1000 years ago. These churches defined the communities around it both from its physical presence as well as the presence of the church in the daily lives of the local residents.

The purpose of this blog is not to point out where Italy is as a country today with their faith. We all know that Europe is in varying states of a post-Christian culture. Instead, my thoughts go back to the times when these beautiful structures were built. They were intentionally put in the center of villages and neighborhoods because life evolved around the church. The church was the prominent figure in the community because people organized their lives around the church and had great dependency upon it. Caring for refugees, feeding those in need, registering births, marrying and burying were all responsibilities of the church. In fact, they even kept the time for the village.

At the time that these churches were built, no one had watches to know what time it was. Churches had bell towers and the bells were rung to give everyone an accurate account of time as well as to give direction for their day. The chiming of the bells truly set the order and pace of life in the community. They still ring the bells and we loved hearing them throughout the day on our visit. The ringing of the bells serve as a great reminder of God’s constant presence in our lives and His desire to remain in the center of them.

Is your life organized around your faith? While we no longer rely on bell towers to tell time, does your faith set the tempo and order of your life? All of our lives are organized around certain priorities that we have chosen. Like the villages in Italy, is the church the center of those priorities? Sometimes we allow our faith to reside on the perimeter of our lives taking a backseat to other responsibilities or even idols.

These are big questions but are worthy ones that need to be asked by each of us from time to time. At times, we left “drift” set in and we need to be re-centered. Our faith needs to be placed back in the center of our lives. The figurative “chiming of the bells” can get snuffed out by all of the noise of life when we allow other priorities to set our order and pace.

Christianity, if false, is of no importance and, if true, is of infinite importance. The one thing it cannot be is moderately important. C.S. Lewis

What “bells” do you need in your life to help you stay centered in your faith?

Stay hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

What I Learned at Camp

Julie and I had an awesome week at Scott River Lodge. JH experiences always give you an opportunity to learn new things and be reminded of other important principles for life. Here are some of my thoughts from the content we covered during the week.

Invest in things that will outlive us. This may sound like a principle that is mostly relevant to someone in my season of life but I believe that it is a great guiding principle for all ages. As much as we can, we should be investing our time in things that will love us back - relationships with God and His people. Earthly idols always compete for our attention. There is nothing wrong with pursuing balance with hobbies and passions as long as we keep our investment with those things in check.

You will never know the fullness of Christ until you know the emptiness of everything else. Charles Spurgeon

Humility, Teachability, Transparency, & Vulnerability - These traits are the stated goals for the JH Staff. I love this mindset. It’s a great approach to ministry but i think that it is also very applicable to us individually. I believe that all of it flows out of a humble spirit.

James 4:6 God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

We need to be willing to take risks in life. A study was done with people in their 90’s. They were asked to identify their biggest regret in life. The leading answer was that they wish they had taken more risks. I think that all of us can look back and identify some of the peak moments in our lives and see that in most every case, it involved an element of risk. Life is not about comfort and leisure, we must be willing to stretch ourselves to taste life’s ultimate richness.

God doesn’t always call the most talented but the most available.

The biggest gains usually come from the uncomfortable times. Growth is borne out of struggle. Good physical workouts come only when we push ourselves beyond comfort. Spiritual and character gains work the same way.

Those who “work for God” will burnout, those who “walk with God” will work for God. We can’t work ourselves to heaven. God wants us to walk with him as followers of Christ. If we are in step with God in an intimate relationship with Him, we will see the “work” that He puts before us to serve Him and others.

We are saved by works, but not our works - the work of Christ.

Have a blessed week!

Stay hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

Integrity

Proverbs 20:7 The righteous man who walks in his integrity; how blessed are his children after him.

Integrity in the Bible is translated to mean “honesty and an adherence to a pattern of good works.” Walking in integrity keeps us true to God, ourselves, and others as we live with God in the center of our lives.

Living with integrity can be challenging as we battle our own sinful nature and a culture that often promotes taking the easy way - the shortcut. The Gospel calls us to do the opposite. Christians should not compromise because we serve God rather than men or ourselves.  

Jesus is our model for integrity. Jesus was tempted just as we are, yet He never sinned. He fasted in the wilderness for forty days and was confronted by Satan at His weakest points to try to break His integrity. As “new creations” in Christ, we are called to be like Jesus by following His pattern of obedience and integrity.

 Proverbs 19:1 Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in speech and is a fool.

Our power to walk in integrity comes from God. We can only live with true integrity by His power, which He freely gives to all who are His. When we make God our highest priority, we live with divine order and blessing. Lapses of integrity bring disorder and invite the work of the Enemy into our lives.

 Integrity leads to “security and freedom” before God.

 Proverbs 10:19 Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.”

Integrity is foundational to being a person of truth and trust.  The Enemy is crafty and looks for our vulnerabilities. Walking in integrity brings us protection. Sin has a way of isolating us, making us feel alone. Those who live in unrepentant sin often worry what will happen when their sin comes to light.  Those who walk with integrity do not fear. They have no reason to hide or worry.

Integrity means that we speak the truth in love. Words are the currency of the heart. By them, we reveal our moral wealth or poverty. For some, a person’s word is gold. We trust what they say is true and that they will keep their promises, even at great cost. Keeping our word is a measure of our integrity. Christians are called to “speak the truth in love” (Eph 4:15). Truthful lips are the fruit of a heart that is filled with God and His Word.

Christian integrity does not mean we become sinless. Yet, our failings do not destroy the Lord’s faithfulness to us. Though “we are faithless, He remains faithful” (2 Tim 2:13). God wants us to develop godly integrity because He has integrity. This requires us to put to death ourselves and step away from environments or people who attempt to sway us away from what Scripture teaches. As Christians who want to serve the Lord, may we rise to pursue such an honorable life, for God’s glory, and the benefit of others.

Stay Hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

Parenting Philosophy

Catherine had a great idea about taking suggestions on topics for blogs. I love that idea and hope that each of you will send me some ideas for future blogs as well.  This week I chose one of her suggestions - “parenting philosophy.”

 Writing about parenting is something that is much easier now (in hindsight) than it would have been going into it 30 years ago. We certainly didn’t do everything right but have now had to benefit to see what worked well and to learn from our mistakes.  By no means is this is a complete guide on parenting but rather some thoughts that stand out. Ultimately, God’s Word is the guide and each of these principals below are inspired by Biblical truths.

 Model the Christian character you want your children to have. There is no greater way to teach great character than to exhibit great character. Words that aren’t backed up by similar actions are just empty words. However, none of us are perfect. Your children will know your strengths and weaknesses as well as anyone. Along those lines, if they know your heart and your love for them, they will see both your shortcomings and successes as part of your valiant attempt to be Christlike. This is our highest calling in life.    

 Model the person you want them to marry or “be” in their marriage. Make your marriage something that they will want to strive for in their own lives - not run from. The way that we treat each other in our marriage greatly influences what our children look for in a mate. This is why positive or negative cycles tend to repeat themselves. Even when we are at our worst (like being hangry, ha) we must try to keep our words and manner under control. Little eyes are always watching. That might feel like a lot of pressure – and it is – but handling adversity with some element of grace will go a long way in teaching them how to do the same.  

 It takes a village.  Like the old saying goes, “it takes a village to raise a child.” We don’t raise our kids by ourselves. They have many influences in their lives. However, parents are certainly the greatest influence and the “gatekeeper” for the other influential relationships that our kids have – their village. Creating a village must be strategic. There are extended family members, friends, friends’ parents, teachers, coaches, youth group leaders, media influences and others that all come into play. As best we can, these influences need to align with our beliefs and character to become a consistent part of the village. A village is not a “bubble” but rather a chosen community that greatly helps shape our children.  

 Parent first, friends later. I like the model that JH Ranch teaches: cop, then coach, and ultimately counselor. This sets up a good progression as kids move from children to youths and then adults. Parents can make the mistake of trying to be “friends” with their kids too early in life. Children have many friends - what they need is a mother and a father. The role of a parent has elements of a friendship but the respect of a parent must always be maintained. Once adulthood is reached, you shift into counselor mode and that is when more of a friendship role comes into play.

 Boundaries show love. Kids that aren’t given appropriate boundaries in each stage of their lives are not going to feel properly loved. Boundaries can be too strict or too lax - neither of which are good. It takes real intentionality to find the right mix for each child at their respective stage of development. That can be a challenge when you have multiple kids who are all at different stages, but no one ever said that parenting was easy. This is truly one of the most challenging and important responsibilities that you will have.

 Always keep your word. Children learn trust from their parents. We must always keep our word with them to the extent possible. That includes discipline if we warn them in advance. Knowing that we keep our word gives children great stability.

 Worship Consistently. Children must know that this is a high priority to you or it won’t be to them. Corporate and community worship along with family and personal devotional time are taught as they are observed and participated in. Show them the way.

Work hard. Play hard. Help them understand that BOTH work and play are privileges - each with its own rewards. This can be taught at a early age to help build a solid work ethic and a “balanced” life.

Prioritize family time. Family is the epicenter of our lives. Our children gain great strength and security in their understanding of this. They will come to appreciate this as a great blessing, especially when they realize that not everyone has a healthy family life.  

Apologize when you make mistakes. Our kids already know that we aren’t perfect. It’s good for us to show them that we know this as well and that we aren’t too proud to admit it. Turn it into a teaching moment by pointing out what you did wrong and how you should have handled things differently. It’s also a great lesson on the joy of God’s forgiveness.

 Pray for them. Pray with them and for them. Pray for them each day but one other suggestion is to designate a special day of the week when you pray for them individually in more depth. Let them know this and ask them from time to time how you can be praying for them. Pray for their future spouses.

 Don’t be afraid to go against the grain. You will have to make counter-cultural decisions that your children won’t like sometimes. It may be something as simple as a spend the night party, a questionable movie or a much bigger issue, but you will have these moments where you must prayerfully trust your judgment. Make sure that you and your spouse are solidly together on the issue at hand because children need to see a united front. Your conviction may not be popular in the moment but will be appreciated later.

 I hope that these thoughts help as you raise your families in the years ahead. The privilege of parenting is an amazing blessing that Julie and I have enjoyed for the past 30 years and counting. We pray for many more!

 Stay Hungry,

 Big E

 Matt. 5:6  

Reconciliation

Jesus explicitly commands us to forgive. While forgiveness is always required by God, it does not always lead to reconciliation. Forgiveness starts with us and focuses on God before it ever looks at anyone else. The ability to forgive is given to us by God through the Holy Spirit.

 The goal of reconciliation is restoring a broken relationship. Reconciliation involves forgiveness but it goes well beyond. While forgiveness requires nothing from the person we’re forgiving, reconciliation is a process conditioned on the attitudes and actions of an offender.

 The three main considerations affecting the process of restoration are:

• The attitude of the offender - Reconciliation requires repentance from the offender and the rebuilding of trust. Regaining trust and restoring a relationship is difficult if the offender refuses to see their wrongs.

• The severity of the offense - Some offenses may require the enforcement of certain boundaries. Others can prevent the possibility of any relationship.

• The pattern of the offense – Are the offenses being repeated?

Offenders show genuine repentance when they acknowledge the hurt that they have caused and are willing to accept full responsibility for their actions. They will welcome accountability without a defensive attitude and will not continue in their hurtful ways. The offender will be willing to make restitution where necessary.

God’s expectation for reconciliation is for us to seek it whenever possible. Romans 12:18 “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

 Jesus gave us specific instructions concerning the need for reconciliation:

 Matthew 5: 23-24 “if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First, go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.”

 Here are some guidelines for the process of restoration:

Be honest about our motives. Our desire should be to restore and please God - not to seek revenge.

Be humble in our attitude. Do not let pride stand in the way of restoration.  

Be prayerful about the one who hurt us. Jesus taught his disciples to pray for those who mistreat them.

Be willing to admit ways we might have contributed to the problem. 

Be honest with the offender. Honestly express our hurts to the offender but not as a means of manipulation and punishment.

Be clear about the guidelines for restoration.

Be alert to the Enemy’s schemes. Don’t allow him to gain a foothold in our lives over this.

Be mindful of God’s control.  Note how God may be using the offense for good. What sins and weaknesses of ours are being exposed? What character qualities are we being challenged to exercise?

Be realistic about the process. Restoration often requires time

Broken relationships can impact our walk with the Lord. We should intentionally seek reconciliation to remove any barriers for spiritual growth and intimacy with God. We cannot control how our offender will respond to us, but we can obey God’s commands as we seek to “live in peace” with others.

Is there anyone that you need to reconcile with? Take a step this week.

Stay Hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

Old Earth vs. Young Earth

The Grand Canyon is truly a magnificent place. You can’t capture it or gain a true appreciation of its magnitude in a picture. You just have to go and see it for yourselves. I guess that is why is it one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

As you know, we went to the Grand Canyon during Lauren’s Senior trip. I was in the 7th grade the only other time I had been. While 46 years seems like a long time between visits, “geological time'“ is looked at differently as it relates to the Canyon and its origins. The National Park Service claims that the oldest exposed rocks are 1,840 million years old while the Canyon itself has been carved out over the past 6 billion years.

All of these “old earth” claims intrigued me during our visit. I really haven’t ever put too much thought into the true age of the earth - even though I had some preconceived notions about what I believed. It was time for me to “dig in” a little (pun intended) and gain a better understanding of my beliefs.

The debate that I am going to address is not the one between Christians and Atheists. I want to address the differing views between “old earth” Christians and “new earth” Christians and their interpretations of what the Bible and science tell us about the true age of the earth. After reading quite a bit of varying views on the subject, I discovered that there are passionate and compelling arguments on each side.

If Genesis 1 & 2 are interpreted in the strictest sense, it indicates that the earth is around 6,000 years old - aka ”young earth.” In contrast, various scientific dating methods place the age of the earth up to 4.5 billion years. “Old earth” Christians beliefs about the age of the earth range from hundreds of millions of years old up to billions of years.

The main driver for this huge difference is the debate over the 6 “day” time period of creation - God rested on the 7th day. Were these “days” 24 hours like we have or were they more like “ages” that could have been millions of years? Neither “old earth” creationism nor “young earth” creationism teaches that the Bible is wrong. What differs between these approaches is simply a matter of interpretation.

Old earth creationists believe a strictly literal approach is not the correct way to interpret the early chapters of Genesis. They view the passage as being primarily symbolic and/or poetic. Young earth creationists interpret the passage as a literal, historical account of how God created the universe. Young earth creationists question why, if the rest of Genesis is historical, should the first two chapters be interpreted differently? Old earth creationists question why, if the Bible uses symbolism in many other books, can’t metaphor be used in Genesis?

Young earth creationists contend that the scientific data supporting a billions-of-years-old earth is being interpreted incorrectly. They view old earth arguments developed by scientists as primarily being a defense for Darwinian evolution. They contend that the dating methods are flawed and are implemented by scientists with bias and agendas. Old earth creationists view the scientific dating methods as being reasonably accurate and therefore accept that the earth and the universe are truly old.

So, in the old earth vs. young earth debate, who is correct? It seems very apparent that one can be a Bible believing Christian and subscribe to either theory. It’s hard to ignore the scientific evidence of an “old earth,” however; we can’t dismiss the fact that God’s miracle of creation could have also been done in six “24 hour” days as the young earth interpretations suggest.

Where does that leave us? Hopefully, at least we are all now more educated on the subject and have an appreciation for both sides - even though there is no definitive answer. You can be a Christian and hold either believe or just choose to take a pass on picking a side. Either way, we’ll all find out the answer when we get to heaven. I’d love to hear any thoughts that you have on the subject.

Stay hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

Amazing Grace

Christianity is rooted in forgiveness. God is so loving and good that He came to earth in the flesh to give us the gift of forgiveness. Just as the Lord freely forgives us, He requires us to extend this same grace to others. 

Grace comes from the Greek word “charis” derived the word charity. Charity involves “giving” meaning that forgiveness requires us to give a “grace gift” to our offender. This can be challenging because it is hard to forgive someone who has wounded us deeply.

Unforgiveness has many unsavory consequences. It is destructive for our walk with the Lord and relationships with His people. We believe that we are punishing the other person by withholding forgiveness, but we are harming ourselves.

Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.

Living in bitter unforgiveness breaks our fellowship with God and impacts our ability to serve Him and others. Research has shown that unresolved conflict and resentment can even impact our health causing emotional, mental, and physical issues.

As we forgive others and let go of hurts, we find deep healing and restoration in our soul.  Regardless of how the offender reacts, our forgiveness will free us from bitterness. 

Here are some truths about forgiveness:

1. Forgiveness is an act of obedience. We forgive others out of gratitude for the grace God extends to us. How can we expect Him to offer forgiveness to us when we won’t extend it to others?

Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

2. Forgiveness is not about being deserving. Are we deserving of the grace that we receive from God?

3. Forgiveness is not pretending we were never hurt nor condoning the offense. Since someone has hurt us in some way, it is OK to recognize and feel the hurt. In most cases it is best that we forget the offense and move on. In other cases, we should forgive but keep a memory that protects us or our loved ones in the future. Trust may have to be rebuilt with some people and others might need to be avoided altogether.

4. Christ modeled forgiveness for us. If Christ is pre-eminent in our lives, we should follow His example of forgiveness.   

A great marriage is the union between two good forgivers. Ruth Bell Graham

 5. Good forgivers “see” the reality of their own continual sin and need for grace. When we have full recognition of our own sin, it makes us appreciate God’s grace that much more. We are dependent on His grace instead of our own prideful record. A heart that is grateful for the amazing grace we have received can far more easily “give grace” to others.

“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me

I once was lost, but now I’m found

Was blind but now I see.”

Stay Hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

P.R.A.Y.E.R. – R for Results

What are the results of prayer?  

We often think of results as “outcomes.” It’s natural that we would anticipate certain outcomes as we pray through the issues on our heart. However, the greatest blessing of prayer is not found in outcomes but the “impact” it makes on us.  As C.S. Lewis said, prayer “doesn’t change God. It changes me.”

Prayer turns our beliefs and theology into experience. Experiencing God through prayer is part of His design and shapes our Christian character.

“Through prayer we sense His presence and receive His joy, His peace, His love and confidence, and thereby we are changed in attitude, character and behavior.” Tim Keller.

Prayer reorders our lives and rightly orders our “loves” The more exposure we have to God, the more we begin to understand His heart, His loves, His priorities - and then they become ours.  Our “loves” are not just reordered - they are “rightly ordered.”

Prayer brings God into every circumstance in our life. Prayer is not always about trying to change or control our circumstances, it’s about knowing God better to face our circumstances.

Prayer reorients us by giving us a different perspective.  The higher elevation prayer brings gives us a new outlook on how we see ourselves in relation to God and everything else. This helps us see life from an “eternal perspective.”

Prayer keeps us in fellowship with God. Much competes for our hearts and attention. A vibrant prayer life helps us approach life with a connected relationship with Him producing peace, selflessness, and joy evident to those around us.

Psalm 86:11-12 Give me an undivided heart… that I may praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart

Prayer creates dependence upon God. Culture pushes us to be “self-reliant and fully independent”, but a life of dependence is largely created through yielding to God in prayer.

Prayer helps us find our “life purpose.” Praying and listening to God’s answers gives us direction and wisdom. Even when He chooses not to answer immediately or as we hoped, prayer itself is a path to purpose and peace.

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

 Prayer gives us strength to avoid temptation. God helps us make good choices when we remain connected to Him. He provides strength in moments of temptation.

 Prayer can work miracles. Throughout scripture, we see God working miracles as an answer to prayer. Through daily prayer, we can also experience personal miracles such as healing, peace, and freedom from the bondage of sin.

 Prayer produces forgiveness.  When we confess our sins to God, we have the assurance that He will cleanse us from all our sins, and we will remain in a right standing before Him.

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

P.R.A.Y.E.R. - Prayer Releases All Your Eternal Resources!

Stay Hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

P.R.A.Y.E.R - E for Empowered

We are “empowered” when we pray in the Spirit. To pray in the Spirit is to experience the “Spirit of life” bringing prayer to life as He carries our prayers to the Father. He blesses us with the awareness of God’s presence and leads us to the warmth of communion with Him. 

 Prayer in the power of the flesh relies upon human ability and effort to carry our prayers forward. We have all felt dryness in prayer with little to say. In these times, we are not praying in the Spirit. Fortunately, we have the Holy Spirit as our “Helper.” He is our advocate in prayer giving us direction, confidence, and the desire to pray.

John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things…

All prayers are heard by God, but this verse from Romans gives us encouragement to know that the Spirit will help us pray.

Romans 8:26 In the same way, the Holy Spirit helps us where we are weak. We do not know how to pray or what we should pray for, but the Holy Spirit prays to God for us with sounds that cannot be put into words…

The Spirit helps us in our weakness. The word "weakness" references our human limitations. We are unable to fully know God’s heart and will in this life.  

 The Spirit helps us know what to pray for.  Even though we don’t know where to start, we can call upon the Holy Spirit to prompt us to pray in the direction that God wants to take us. God's will determines how our prayers will be answered.

The Spirit prays for us with sounds that cannot be put into words.  We don’t have to have it all together to pray. God’s indwelling Spirit will pray for us. There is divine communication within the Trinity that is beyond our comprehension. The Holy Spirit knows the will of God and helps us by pray in unutterable words which God understands. When we struggle to find the right words in prayer, God’s Spirit has not left us. He is still with us, helping us.  

The Spirit breathes bold life into our prayers. The beauty of this boldness is that it is not “demanding” but humble and holy. Prayer is not about bringing God into our world with a list of requests, but how God brings us into His world so that we can be exposed to His heart and mind.  Praying in the Spirit makes us vigilant for God’s purposes.

The Apostle Paul instructs us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17-19 to “pray continuously” and not to “quench the Spirit.” We should never pass on an impulse to pray. When we ignore these promptings, we are dousing the flame of the Spirit living in us. With obedience to the call to “pray continuously,” we fan the flame of God’s gift to us – our “Helper.”  

Stay Hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

P.R.A.Y.E.R. - Y for Yield

To yield is to give way, surrender, and submit. One of the ways that we “yield” to God is through prayer. Learning to yield is a crucial aspect of a vibrant prayer life and one of the keys to our spiritual growth.    

 We “give way.” We pause from our earthly agenda and give priority to our relationship with God through prayer. We quiet our hearts as we humbly and expectantly approach our Heavenly Father.

 Yielding can be a challenge for us because we are so easily distracted. There is much to compete for our time with God. Our desire to be busy can be our enemy. However, prayer is never a passive response. Prayer is an active conversation with God who knows us and wants what is best for us. Prayer is where we should always begin. 

 “We can always do more than pray after we have prayed but not until we have prayed.” S.D. Gordon

 We “surrender.”  We all have a choice to make. Do we choose to surrender to culture, opinions of others, our selfish desires, or the God of the universe?

 Jesus prayed in Matthew 6:10“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…”

 Surrender is the one word that best explains our desire to yield our imperfect plans to God’s perfect will. We no longer live for ourselves but choose to live for Him. We willingly surrender to Him because He knows what is best for us. Prayer helps us sort through our earthly agenda and directs us to God’s will for our lives.

 “God does great things through surrendered people.”  Jennie Allen

 We “submit.” Submission means that we willingly put ourselves under God’s authority. We open our hands to let go of our control and take hold of a life of faith. Submitting to God also helps us resist opposing forces – our enemy and all the forces of evil.

 James 4:7 Submit therefore to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

 To submit to God’s plans, we need to trust in God’s character. As we are exposed to His goodness, our hearts are bent toward His. We trust Him and willingly pray “Not my will, but His be done.”

 Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps

 As we yield our control and plans to God in prayer, we are reminded that the Creator of the universe sees us, knows us, and wants what is best for us. His throne is in control of all things. We find new opportunities to rest in His presence, peace, and purpose for our lives.

Stay Hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

P.R.A.Y.E.R. - A for Act

The Act of Prayer

Establishing a healthy prayer life is essential for maintaining a strong relational connection with God. While we may desire a great prayer life, nothing “great” is also easy. Greatness always requires effort and perseverance.

Prayer is deeply personal and unique to our relationship with God. It is His chosen method for us to communicate with Him. Sometimes we lack confidence in our ability to pray but it is important to know that we cannot fail at prayer. To try to pray is to pray.

Prayer should always be a “delight” but at times it feels more like a “duty.” In these moments we must pray in a dutiful and disciplined way until prayer becomes a “delight.” When we delight in prayer, we depend on it each day. Our day feels incomplete without it.

Jesus gave us the perfect model for prayer with the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:5-15.) Most Christians know the Prayer by heart but may not realize that Jesus gave it to us specifically to teach us how to pray. Understanding each component of the Prayer, helps us adopt His pattern for prayer as our own.

“Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be thy name,” Praise is where prayer should always begin. We praise God with a grateful heart and recognize Him as our Creator, Lord, and Savior. 

“Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” We pray for what’s on God’s heart and His work in the world. Praying for God’s agenda first makes His priorities our priorities and turns our hearts toward His.

“Give us this day our daily bread,” We present our requests to God with our needs and desires for ourselves and others. We acknowledge that God is our Provider, and we are dependent on Him for everything.

“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” We humbly name our sins before God with a desire to turn from them and pursue righteousness. We also remember our call to forgive others as we have been forgiven.

“Do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from evil” We ask for protection from evil and strength in our weaknesses. We have an enemy who wants to keep us from a deep connection with God and the fruit of His Spirit. We replace the enemy’s lies with truth from God’s Word.

“For yours is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory forever. Amen” We declare our faith in God’s sovereignty and power for His Kingdom and eternal Glory. 

Prayer is not just a command, but an invitation. The Apostle Paul instructs us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to “pray without ceasing.” He means that in everything we do, live in conscious and continuous reference to God. This habit of “constant prayer” produces spontaneity in our prayer life - an ongoing dialogue born out of the discipline of regular, daily prayer. Dutifully make an appointment with God each day in a place of quiet and solitude. You will “delight” in spending time with Him.   

Stay Hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

P.R.A.Y.E.R. - R for Reveals

The first R in P.R.A.Y.E.R. is for “reveals.” Our prayer life is revealing in many ways. It’s been said that if you really want to learn about someone’s faith, you should listen to them pray.

 The content of our prayers reveals our beliefs and view of God. Are our prayers filled mostly with requests? Are we truly seeking the Giver or just the gifts? Do we view Him solely as our rescuer who is on call when needed to help us with our problems?  

 The substance of our prayers reveals much about our relationship with God. God is the ultimate Giver and our source of wisdom, but prayer is more than just requests or cries for help. An intimate relationship with God is built upon a balanced prayer life that recognizes Him for all that He is to us as our Creator, Lord, Sustainer and Savior. With a healthy prayer life, we instinctively come to Him with praise, confession, and gratitude in addition to our requests. 

 “What comes into our mind when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” A.W. Tozer

 Prayer reveals to us the heart and mind of God. Do we love what God loves? Do we know what He loves? Do we know what He wants us to pray for? All great questions to consider.

 As we grow closer to God and experience His goodness, our hearts become more aligned with His. We gain a better understanding of His passions and desires. We seek His will in our prayers.

 Ephesians 1:18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people

 Prayer reveals how we see ourselves in relation to God. Prayer leads to self-knowledge that cannot be achieved in any other way. In prayer, we encounter God and are exposed to His holiness. We see ourselves as we truly are - sinners desperately in need of a savior. 

 1 Corinthians 13:12 Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

 God knows us completely and from Him can we hide nothing. Prayer gives us the opportunity to know Him better though we won’t have complete knowledge of Him in this life.

 Prayer reveals our priorities. Our prayers reveal what is most important to us. We are all guilty of trying to control our environment with our prayer life. Sometimes our prayers are nothing more than the American Dream (health, wealth, and happiness) with a little Jesus mixed in. It is not wrong to pray for these things but this shouldn’t be the full extent of our prayers. Our highest priority should be to seek Him with all our hearts. In doing so, He reveals His will and plans for our life.

Stay Hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

P.R.A.Y.E.R - P for Purpose

You might remember that we did a series on Prayer a couple of years ago. It’s such an important topic that I wanted to do it again and update the content. None of us have a perfect prayer life but maybe this can help you make progress towards a balanced and intentional life of prayer. It cannot be overemphasized just how important it is in our walk with God.

The P of P.R.A.Y.E.R. is for purpose. What is the purpose of prayer?

Prayer is how we treat God - as God.  

This is true in several key aspects:

Prayer is unique to our relationship with God. Prayer is the method that God chose for us to communicate with Him. Prayer takes us into the throne room of God and grants us a personal audience with our Heavenly Father. God can communicate with us in several ways including prayer, the Holy Spirit, His Word, His creation, and other Christians. We can talk about God, learn about God, and enjoy the fruits of a relationship with God but the only way that we can directly communicate with God is through prayer.

 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing…

 Prayer reveals the heart and wisdom of God. Prayer is how the life of God in us is nourished. Prayer is not simply a means of making requests of God, but to know God Himself. Prayer helps us become one with the Father and build our dependency upon Him. When we spend time with Him, we realize how powerful, able, and good He is and how much we need him. As we discover God’s heart and wisdom, our heart becomes aligned with His. This helps us recognize our place and purpose.

 James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

 Prayer makes us more like Jesus. Clearly prayer was important to Jesus. It was His lifeline and connection to our Heavenly Father. He prayed with others, for others, and on his own. It was a fundamental part of how he approached each day and every decision, retreating faithfully to spend time with his Father. Prayer equipped him for the battles he faced and revealed God’s desires and direction. 

 A vibrant and intentional prayer life will help us become more like Jesus. Prayer transforms our heart and our actions. When we find forgiveness through prayer, God softens our heart and allows us to forgive others. When we experience God’s compassion and mercy, we desire to share it with others. We have all heard the truth that “prayer changes things.” As the hands and feet of Christ, it is also true that “Prayer changes us and equips us for God’s work.”

 Prayer is an act of worship. Prayer plays a key role in our worship of God. When we pray, we recognize God for who He is and what He has done. Our focus is on God, not on ourselves and our wish list. We proclaim His virtues and praise Him for His power, wisdom, love, and ability to bring ultimate good from any situation. Prayer helps us see our own circumstances for what they are - firmly within His grasp. This is the essence of worshipping God through prayer.

Stay hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

Proper Order of our Desires

I read a great blog last week from Richard Simmons about “Properly Ordered Desires.” I am admitting up front that I am borrowing heavily from his material for the blog. Why re-create the wheel, right?!? Ha.

The desires of our body are both good and natural. They were given by God and their fulfillment plays a vital role in continuing the human race. However, we have wrongly elevated these desires and now believe that satisfying the sensual desires of the body provides the basic reason for living. Whether it be food, drink, sleep, or sex, we mistakenly believe these will play a crucial role in satisfying our insatiable desire to be happy.

Paster Andy Stanley believes this is a significant issue. He makes this observation:

Appetites bring zest and passion to life. But they are terrible filters for making decisions. I don’t think it is an exaggeration to say that your responses to your appetites will determine the direction and quality of your life. You’ve certainly seen people wreck their lives over their seeming inability to say no to themselves. So this is a big deal.

Clearly, controlling our appetites is at the heart of being a person of strong, godly character. We have to be able to restrain our desires. To build character is to build the muscles of restraint.

Self-control is spoken of often in the Book of Proverbs, because it plays a pivotal role in being a wise person. We would all have to agree that a person without self-control is not going to live wisely and make good decisions.

In Proverbs 23:19-21, it speaks of people who are gluttons and drunkards. It says they will come to poverty and “drowsiness will clothe them with rags.” It says this type of person’s life is characterized by drowsiness. They can’t stay focused on the significant issues of life, such as earning a living and being an attentive spouse. It does great harm to their lives.

Proverbs 25:28 says: “Like a city that is broken into without walls, is a man who has no control over his spirit.” In Hebrew, the word spirit means your energy, your passions, and your longings. A person who cannot control his passions or longings is compared to a city without walls. In ancient times, a city without walls faced disaster and destruction. Without walls, a city could not survive. In order to have a safe and vibrant community, you had to have the security of walls.

Properly Ordered Desires

Tim Keller gives great insight into the subject of self-control. He says the basic desires of the body—food, drink, sleep, and sexuality are all good things. They were given by God and there is a proper place for them. However, when they become the sole focus of joy and happiness in your life, then they have become disproportional. Your desires become out of control and they squeeze out the important priorities of life.

So what is self-control? It is the governing of one’s desires. In Greek it has the literal meaning of “inner strength” and refers to that strength of character that enables one to control his passions and desires. In other translations, it refers to “sound judgement.” Logically, we need both of these to have self-control over our desires and our appetites.

Those who have self-control have their desires properly ordered. They are able to discern what is important in life over the urgent desires of the body. In other words, a person who has self-control has ordered his desires so that the most important things in life are desired most, and the secondary things are desired less.

The happiest, healthiest and most godly people are those who have properly ordered their desires. They are free because they have not allowed themselves to become enslaved to their desires.

Stay Hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

Spiritual DNA

I saw this sign and couldn’t help but laugh. Of course, I thought about Cody who lives for the day when the gate is left open - ha.

It also made me think about our trips to the UK that we have taken. The cultural DNA differences between the English, Scottish and Irish are noticeable and interesting. To put it in dog perspective, if the gate were left open, the English would stay put and thoughtfully wonder why the tradition of the “closed gate” had been broken. A Scot would hesitantly go out of the gate and wait in the front yard for his master to come home (Bubba :-). The Irish would give no thought as to why the gate was open and immediately run out to go and say hello to everyone in the neighborhood. Maybe Cody is actually an “Irish” Cocker Spaniel…

“Living like the gate was left open” can be applied to life in many different ways - some of which wouldn’t be so good. Looking at it in a spiritual context, I think about how it feels when God is working through us in our areas of giftedness. We are not working from our own strength but are empowered by the Holy Spirit through our unique spiritual DNA. It’s a very freeing and powerful experience.

There are many reasons why understanding and using our gifts are so important:

• We were created to do good works. As God’s workmanship, we are the tools He uses to transform lives.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

• It provides direction and purpose for us. We find significance as we serve others in Kingdom work. Success = Doing what God created us to do.

•  Accountability: We want to be good stewards of our gifts.

•  Freedom to embrace who we are in Christ and the resulting joy from impacting lives.

 “I’m not afraid of failure. I’m afraid of being successful at things that don’t really matter.” William Carey, missionary

Spiritual gifts are like muscles – they must be used. We exercise them through involvement in ministry and investing in other’s lives. We need to be willing to be intentional and take risks to find clarity about our gifts so that we have the freedom to say yes or no to ministry opportunities. We want to be empowered when we serve – not serve out of obligation or guilt.

Praying for guidance and seeking counsel from those who know and love you are great ways to find clarity about your giftedness. Ask yourself - what am I doing when I feel God’s pleasure? Your gifts and ministry will be nearby.

Stay Hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

Ireland

We are having an incredible time in Ireland. We’ve had the opportunity to stay at some amazing places and do a lot of different things.

The most adventurous was a boat trip to the Skellig Michael island pictured above. It may look like just a big rock in the ocean but it has a lot of history. Monks used to live in huts on top of the ridges which makes it one of the most impressive Christian sites in the world. It was an Irish monastery from about 600 AD to 1300 AD. It’s unbelievable to see what they built and how they lived on a steep rock island several miles offshore. Also, some of you might be interested to know that they filmed parts of the last 2 Star Wars movies on the island.

Julie and I were looking forward to the 2.5 hr. boat trip since we are, as they say - boat people. We left from the Portmagee Bay Marina which was a nice little harbor village just about 10 miles from Skellig Michael. You could see the island from the marina and it looked like an easy trip. Not so much - ha. As soon as we got out of the calm bay and into the Atlantic Ocean, it went from a pontoon boat lake cruise to a “Deadliest Catch” trip. 4-5 foot waves were hammering us as we were making our way out to the island. It was fun for a few minutes - until we started getting seasick. We made it through the rough seas and now have a good memory to laugh about.

The next day was Sunday and we found a Protestant Church in Killarney to attend. The church building was “only” about 200 years old but they have had a church on that site for about 1000 years. Time seems different over here in the Old World.

I wanted to share a stanza or two from the closing hymn of the service. It made me smile as we were singing it and reflect on our water adventure from the day before:

Will your anchor hold in the storms of life, when the clouds unfold their wings of strife

When the strong tides lift and the cables strain, will your anchor drift or firm remain?

We have an anchor the keeps the soul, steadfast and sure while the billows roll

Fastened to the Rock which cannot move, grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love.

Do you feel “grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love?” The storms of life and currents of culture can make us feel ungrounded sometimes. God’s love and acceptance is unchanging even though our perception may not always align with that reality. The good news is that we are never outside of the Father’s love - even in the 5 foot swells of life.

Stay grounded,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:16-22 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, to keep you from doing whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. 

Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control... 

When we make the decision to surrender our lives to Jesus, we become a new creation. The Holy Spirit comes alive within us, giving us the power to overcome our natural flesh and produce spiritual fruit.  The fruit of the Spirit are very attractive and desirable, but we cannot consistently produce them in our own strength. They come as a blessing from God through the Spirit.

All Christians have the capacity to experience the fruit of God’s Spirit. Fruit is produced as we abide in the vine of Christ. As we grow, we take on Christ-like attributes. He promises that if we seek Him and remain connected to Him, we will bear much fruit.  If we allow our flesh to be fed beyond our spirit, we will be fueling our sinful nature. The deeds of the flesh are in opposition to God’s spiritual fruits.

We need to develop the right environment for fruit to be produced. Fruit of the earth is produced when a tree is planted in good soil and receives the key ingredients for growth and health. A tree flourishes and produces much fruit when it avoids competing with opposing elements that may stunt its growth.  In the same way, we can control our environment by what we are pursuing and feeding our flesh and spirit.  We must posture ourselves daily by connecting to the vine of Christ to receive the nutrients of God’s spirit.  

It is by the fruits of the Spirit that Christians are recognized as true believers.

Matthew 7:20 By their fruits you will know them. 

• A Countenance That Is Obvious: “love, joy, peace”

• A Conduct That Is Becoming: “patience, kindness, goodness” 

• A Character That Is Obedient: “faithfulness, gentleness, self-controlled” 

A saving faith will produce spiritual fruit. Yet, fruit will not ripen in our lives overnight or without intentionality. We must constantly work to rid ourselves of the “weeds” of our old sinful nature. The Holy Spirit gives us the power we need to reject those old sinful desires. God will do magnificent things in us if we follow His path in pursuing holiness through spiritual disciplines. This will produce an abundance of fruit and allow us to become beacons of life and light in a world that is starving for the amazing fruit of God’s Spirit.

Be fruitful,

Big E

Matt. 5:6