Revelation Nugget: Living in Overflow!

11 Wednesday Mar 2026

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Recently, I was meeting with a ministry friend who also happens to prepare my taxes. During our conversation about the many demands of ministry, she made a statement that deeply impacted me. She said, “Always serve from the saucer.”

At first, the phrase caught my attention because it was so simple, yet it carried profound wisdom. The picture it creates is powerful: when your cup is full, it naturally overflows into the saucer. In other words, the saucer receives the overflow—not the cup itself.

Her point was clear. In ministry—and in life—we are not meant to pour out from an empty cup. We must first allow God to fill us through time with Him, His Word, and His presence. Only then can what overflows from our lives truly nourish others.

Serving from the saucer means we minister from overflow, not depletion. It reminds us that our first responsibility is to stay connected to the Source. When we do, what we give to others is not forced effort, but the natural overflow of a life that has been filled by God.

Glorify God with all your wealth, honoring him with your firstfruits, with every increase that comes to you. Then every dimension of your life will overflow with blessings from an uncontainable source of inner joy. Proverbs 3:9-10 TPT

This passage is often associated with financial giving, but its meaning reaches much deeper than money alone. Honoring God with our “firstfruits” means giving Him the first and the best of everything in our lives—our time, our attention, our gifts, our strength, and our devotion. In truth, we give ourselves to God in many ways.

When we place Him first in every area, He fills our lives in such a way that the overflow touches every dimension of who we are. Out of that fullness, we are able to give, serve, and bless others—not from emptiness, but from abundance.

I remember being a young child in our country church singing a hymn that said, “Fill my cup, Lord, I lift it up, Lord. Come and fill this thirsting of my soul…” Those simple words carried a powerful truth that has stayed with me through the years.

That is the kind of overflow I am referring to today. It begins with recognizing our need for Him and lifting our “cup” to the Lord. When we come to Him thirsty and willing, He faithfully fills us. And when our cup is filled by His presence, His peace, and His joy, the overflow naturally pours out into every area of our lives and into the lives of those around us.

I believe this concept of living from overflow is not just for ministry—it’s meant for every part of our lives. We were never designed to run on empty, constantly giving out of what little we have left. Instead, God intends for our lives to be so filled with His presence, His peace, and His strength that what we give to others simply flows from the overflow.

We should live from the saucer, love from the saucer, give from the saucer, and serve from the saucer. When our cup is continually being filled by God, the saucer will never run dry. And what spills over from our lives will refresh and bless everyone around us.

The Fruit Defines the Tree

09 Monday Feb 2026

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Jesus said something simple, but it has a way of exposing all of us:

You must determine if a tree is good or rotten. You can recognize good trees by their delicious fruit. But if you find rotten fruit, you can be certain that the tree is rotten. The fruit defines the tree.
— Matthew 12:33 (TPT)

I often like to eat Fuji apples, but I like to slice them and sprinkle sea salt on them. There have been times I’ve pulled an apple out of the refrigerator that looked perfect—washed it, sliced it open—and found something I wasn’t expecting. It was rotten on the inside. And that’s the truth of life:

What’s on the inside eventually makes its way to the outside.

So here’s the first question I want you to consider today:

What kind of fruit are you currently producing?

Because the fruit always tells the truth about the root.

Pressure Reveals What’s Inside

We often find out what’s inside of us during a time of crisis. Think about it this way: if you’re driving and someone suddenly pulls out in front of you, what’s the first thing that comes out of your mouth? That might be a scary thought… but it’s likely what’s been living inside you.

I remember about 23 years ago, I was driving to work at a normal speed when a truck ran a stop sign and T-boned me. My car flipped two and a half times. I vividly remember seeing it coming and being unable to do anything about it. And I screamed one word:

“JESUS!”

That’s what I want on the inside of me—so deeply—that it comes out in both good times and hard times.

Firmly Planted Trees Produce Good Fruit

Psalm 1 gives us a picture of what a stable, fruitful believer looks like:

He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season…
— Psalm 1:1–3 (NASU)

If we want to be like a tree firmly planted, it begins with two things:

  • Delighting ourselves in the Lord
  • Meditating on Him and His Word consistently

This brings balance. And balance is critical, because the faster life gets, the easier it is to lose balance without even realizing it.

Some people are moving faster than ever right now. Others have slowed down drastically. But wherever we are, this is a good day to ask God to bring our lives back into spiritual balance.

Because the fruit always tells the truth about the root.

Trust Is the Secret to Stability

Jeremiah gives us another powerful picture:

Blessed are those who trust in the Lord… They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water… Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.
— Jeremiah 17:7–8 (NLT)

These trees aren’t bothered by heat. They aren’t worried by drought. They stay green and keep producing fruit. Why? Because they trust the Lord, and their roots go deep into the water.

If ever we need to be in a place of trust, hope, and confidence in the Lord, it is in the times we are living in right now.

The Tree Matters: Roots, Trunk, and Branches

If the fruit defines the tree, then it’s worth looking at what makes a tree healthy.

1) Roots

A strong root system has three purposes:

  • Support (stability)
  • Storage (strength for hard seasons)
  • Nutrient pickup (what you are feeding on)

Jesus warned in the parable of the sower that some receive the Word with joy, but when trouble comes, they fall away because they have no real root. We don’t want shallow roots. We want roots that grow deep through a consistent walk with the Lord—through His Word, worship, prayer, and time in His presence. And we should ask ourselves honestly:

Where are my roots gathering nutrients?

I once heard about a septic system that failed because tree roots grew into the sewage pipes. What a picture. Some of us are feeding on things that cannot nourish our souls. In every season, I have had to let my roots stay closer and closer to the water—more time in the Word, more time in worship, more time in prayer—because I need that nourishment to stay strong.

2) Trunk

Inside the trunk is something called heartwood. It doesn’t carry water, but it gives the tree strength—like a steel beam inside a building. Heartwood reminds me of this:

When Jesus is at the center, we can stand in any storm.

Passion for Christ is not built overnight. It comes from a long-term commitment to walking with Him, not just running to Him in an emergency.

3) Branches

Then we come to the branches—and Jesus could not have been clearer:

Remain in me… For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine… Apart from me you can do nothing.
— John 15:4–5 (NLT)

If we want fruit, we must stay connected.

Fruit Is the Goal

Spiritual maturity is never the end in itself. We grow up in order to give out.

  • Impression without expression causes frustration
  • Input without output causes stagnation

God never intended us to become spiritually stagnant. The world is looking for answers. And many times, they are looking for them through the fruit they see in God’s people. Galatians tells us the fruit we want in our lives:

The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit… love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
— Galatians 5:22–23 (NLT)

So let’s inspect our fruit:

  • Is love increasing in me?
  • Is joy present, even in difficulty?
  • Am I choosing peace, or living in fear?
  • Is patience being produced, or am I murmuring?
  • Do people experience kindness and gentleness when they’re around me?
  • Is self-control evident in my choices?

Inspect Your Own Tree

This is not a call to become fruit inspectors of everyone else. But it is a call to inspect our own. If the fruit isn’t what it should be, we don’t just need to “try harder.”

We need to go back and examine the tree:

  • Roots: Where am I feeding? Am I firmly planted?
  • Trunk: Is Jesus truly at the center of my life?
  • Branches: Am I remaining connected to the vine?

Because the fruit always tells the truth about the root.

And when our roots reach deep into the living water, we will not be bothered by heat or worried by drought. Our leaves will stay green. And we will never stop producing fruit.

A.S.K.

28 Wednesday Jan 2026

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Ask, Seek, Knock — A Journey of Persistent Faith

Have you ever prayed with all your heart—only to feel like heaven was silent? You asked, but nothing changed. You waited, but the answer didn’t come. If you’ve ever wondered why some prayers seem unanswered, you’re not alone. Jesus anticipated this struggle, and His response was not complicated theology—but an invitation into a deeper way of faith.

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. — Matthew 7:7–8 (NKJV)

Jesus gives us a simple yet powerful invitation: ask, seek, and knock. Yet many believers never fully enjoy the benefits of God’s covenant because they have not learned how to live out these three actions with faith, humility, and persistence.

Let’s explore what each one means—and how they work together to deepen our walk with God.

Ask: The Beginning of Faith

The Greek word for ‘ask’ carries a deeper meaning than simply making a request. It means to call for, to crave, to desire, and to require. Asking is an act of humility. It acknowledges our need and places our trust in God as our source.

Many of us struggle with asking for help. Think back to the days before GPS—how many of us would rather stay lost than stop and ask for directions? Asking requires us to admit that we don’t have all the answers.

Children, however, have no problem asking. They ask freely and confidently, trusting that their parents want to help them. Jesus calls us to approach God with that same childlike faith.

James reminds us that God is generous and welcomes our requests:

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you… But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. — James 1:5–6 (NLT)

Asking requires a relationship. When we are loyal to God and rooted in faith, we can ask confidently—knowing He hears us.

If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. — 1 John 5:14 (NASU)

Seek: The Pursuit of Revelation

Asking is often the first step, but seeking takes us deeper. The Greek word for seek means to endeavor, to inquire, and to pursue earnestly. Seeking implies effort.

Some answers don’t come immediately. Instead, God invites us into a process where our faith is strengthened as we pursue Him.

Hebrews tells us that faith pleases God—and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). Seeking God is not passive. It involves prayer, Scripture, meditation, and sometimes fasting. Jesus Himself said:

Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. — Matthew 6:33 (NKJV)

The prophet Daniel is a powerful example of seeking. Through prayer, supplication, and fasting, he pursued understanding—and God responded with revelation. Although the answer was delayed, it was never denied.

Sometimes the delay is due to opposition. Other times, God is working in us, aligning our hearts with His purposes. As Bill Johnson once said, “God hides things for us, not from us.” What He has for us is worth the search.

Knock: Persistence at the Door

When asking and seeking still feel unanswered, Jesus tells us to knock. Knocking implies a closed door—but not a locked one.

Knocking is an invitation to persistence. It is the posture of one who refuses to give up, believing that God is faithful and present.

In Greek, ask, seek, and knock are all written in the present, active, and imperative tense. In other words:

  • Ask and keep on asking
  • Seek and keep on seeking
  • Knock and keep on knocking

Jesus reinforces this truth in the parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18). She repeatedly brought her request before the judge until he finally responded. Jesus told this parable to teach us to “always pray and not lose heart.”

Persistence is not about bending God’s will to ours—it’s about aligning our will with His. As we contend in prayer, we are drawn closer to God’s purposes.

Imagine throwing a hook from a boat and pulling toward the shore. You are not pulling the shore toward you—you are pulling yourself closer to it. That’s what asking, seeking, and knocking do: they draw us closer to God.

A Journey of Faith

Faith is a journey. Abraham waited 25 years for the promise of a son, yet his asking, seeking, and knocking established a covenant that still impacts us today.

God’s promises are sure, but the process matters. As we ask in humility, seek with diligence, and knock with persistence, we grow—not just in answered prayer, but in relationship with Him.

So don’t stop asking. Don’t grow weary in seeking. And don’t walk away from the door.

Keep knocking.

God is faithful—and the door will be opened.

Revelation Nugget: Don’t Lose Your First Love!

20 Tuesday Jan 2026

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Welcome to a new type of blog post here on Secret Place Revelation, I am calling “Revelation Nuggets”!

If you have followed me, you know the name of my page is based on Psalm 91:1, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” I believe spending time in the secret place in prayer and Bible study is the best way for God to unveil revelation that will help us walk through this life.

I realize sometimes the revelation doesn’t require much explanation and can be shared in a shorter, simpler post. This is why I am introducing “Revelation Nuggets” this week. When I post these, they won’t be quite as long, but hopefully just as encouraging and thought-provoking. Let’s get to my first one.

Revelation Nugget: Don’t Lose Your First Love

Recently, I was studying the messages given to the seven churches in the book of Revelation. While these letters went to seven specific churches, they are also meant to challenge, encourage, warn, and build up believers and churches throughout church history, including today.

The letter to the first church in Ephesus stood out to me.

Revelation 2:2-5 NKJV

“I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.  4 Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

I love all the things this church is commended for, but my focus today is on the fact that, regardless of their good deeds, they had left their first love! This must be a stern warning for those of us who have been Christians for a while, especially for those who use our gifts and talents to serve in the Kingdom of God.

I believe this passage refers to the deep love and passion for Christ and His Word we have when we first come into His family, which can wane over time if we don’t work to keep the fire burning.

The Ephesians were giving God their service, but not themselves!

I believe all Christians should serve in some way, but we must be careful not to let our service become our focus. When we are sincerely in love with Jesus, it should be evident in our lives by spending consistent personal time with Him in prayer and in His Word, not as a duty, but as a delight!

Galatians 4:4-7 NKJV

4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7 Therefore, you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

If all you are doing is working for God, you still have a slave mentality. He wants you to be His son or His daughter and be connected to Him. Then your service for Him will flow from that love, not to earn it.

Do some self-reflection today. Does your first love need some attention?

The Evidence

15 Thursday Jan 2026

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I would like all readers of this blog to consider themselves part of a jury. Instead of making a group decision, you will each be required to make your own individual verdict. You will be accountable for your own decision, and it will impact how you move forward in your spiritual walk once you have seen all the evidence. This is what you must decide: does the evidence prove “the truth” or is there “reasonable doubt”?

Exhibit A: Authority

From the very start of His ministry, Jesus demonstrated extraordinary authority in His teaching, over sickness, and over spiritual darkness. Mark 1:21-27 tells us the crowd was amazed because He taught with authority, unlike the scribes.

The authority Jesus demonstrated was not intended to cease with Him. In Mark 3:13-15, He gave that authority to His disciples. In Luke 10, we read that Jesus appointed seventy to go out with the same authority. After Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected to heaven, He delegated that authority to us His church!

Exhibit B: Belief in Action

Authority alone isn’t enough—faith is required. And faith isn’t passive; it moves. Jesus illustrated this in the Parable of the Sower (Mark 4). Only the seed that fell on good soil produced a harvest—thirty, sixty, or a hundredfold. The difference? The hearer received the Word and acted on it. Right after teaching this parable, Jesus had some important things to say.

“Then He said to them, ‘Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.  25 For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.'” Mark 4:24-25 NKJV

This passage is often taken out of context and only associated with giving, but it actually says, “Take heed what you hear.” The point of this evidence is that, with the same measure you use, the Word of God will be measured back to you. To those who hear the Word, more belief will be given. For whoever has faith in the Word, more will be provided, but those who do not believe will enter more into unbelief.

Two Scriptural examples:

  • The woman with the issue of blood (Mark 5): Despite cultural risk and physical weakness, she pressed through the crowd—maybe even crawling—to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment. Her faith was active, and she was healed.
  • The friends of the paralytic (Mark 2): They didn’t let a packed house stop them. They tore through a roof to get their friend to Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, He healed and forgave.

Belief mixed with action brings results.

Exhibit C: Hardheartedness

This term means something deeper in the Bible than we often think—it’s not just being unkind. Scripture speaks of spiritual blindness and stubborn unbelief.

  • Mark 3:1-5: The Pharisees watched Jesus closely to see if He would heal on the Sabbath so they could accuse Him. Jesus said that they were unmoved by a miraculous healing and said this revealed their hardness of heart.
  • Mark 4:37-40; 6:49-52: These passages describe two different storms the disciples were in. In the first storm, Jesus was asleep in the boat and demonstrated His power by calming the storm. In between the storms, Jesus multiplied food to feed 5000 men, plus women and children. When Jesus walked on the water to come to them in the second storm, He said that the disciples’ hearts were hardened because they did not believe even after seeing the miracle of the loaves.
  • Mark 16:9-14: After His resurrection, Jesus rebuked the disciples for unbelief and hardness of heart because they refused to believe eyewitnesses.

Hardheartedness isn’t just a Pharisee problem—it can happen to any of us when we let the enemy, circumstances, or distractions choke out our faith. Think back to the parable of the sower. We could say that the first three examples showed unbelief and hardheartedness.

  • The one who hears the Word, but immediately Satan comes to steal it.
  • The person who has no root, so tribulation or difficulties take away the Word.
  • When the cares of life or the desire for other things more than the Word cause a person to lose out.

The disciples had the privilege of being eyewitnesses to Jesus’ acts, and they struggled with unbelief and hardheartedness. Today, we are to believe in the promises of the written Word, and we can’t allow the enemy, circumstances, or the cares of life to steal belief in the Word.

Jesus was limited by unbelief. Even in Nazareth, Jesus “could do no mighty work” because of unbelief (Mark 6:5–6).

  • Mark 5:37-42: In the miracle of raising Jairus’ daughter, Jesus limited the unbelief by putting all but the parents and Peter, James, and John out of the room.
  • Mark 8:22-25: Jesus had to lead a blind man out of a city of unbelief before He could heal him.

The Verdict

The evidence has been presented:

  • Jesus has all authority, and He has delegated it to His followers.
  • Belief, when combined with action, produces a breakthrough.
  • Unbelief and hardheartedness can block the work of God in our lives.

So—what’s your verdict?

Will you return a verdict of Truth, embracing God’s authority and moving forward in active faith? Or will you return Reasonable Doubt, allowing unbelief to keep you from walking in the fullness of His promises?

Closing Challenge

If you recognize doubt in your heart, you don’t have to stay there. Ask the Lord to turn your unbelief into faith.

If you’ve let the Word be stolen by the enemy…
If life’s hardships have caused you to stumble…
If distractions have choked out your spiritual growth…

…today is the day to break that cycle.

Your life has too much purpose to be slowed down by unbelief.
The case has been made. The jury is you. The verdict is yours.

A Tool in the Master’s Hand

05 Saturday Oct 2024

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The culture we currently are living in is one like never before, where people have very strong opinions about everything and often no longer see the Bible as a guide for conduct. Unfortunately, as this trend has progressed, the church has also become more culturally correct than Biblically focused.

As we get closer and closer to the return of our Lord, He is looking for people willing to be used as a tool in His hand. The image you see with this post was inspired by a picture the Lord gave me in my Spirit as I was praying for a minister recently. I saw a picture of a red toolbox filled with many tools. Some were shiny and new, but some were well-worn from years of use.

So many people say they want to be used by God, but the sad truth is often the platform, the position, or a title is really what they are seeking. God is searching for those willing to be a “tool” in His hand to build His Kingdom and to destroy the enemy’s!

I think about a hammer when I need to build something, but the same tool can also be used to destroy or tear down a wall that is no longer needed. When the job calls for a wrench, a screwdriver will not work. God is asking for individuals willing to be used as He wills in these final days to see the great harvest that must happen before He returns. In the same way, He also needs people to be His tools to stop the deception and progress the enemy is making in our culture.

In 1 Corinthians 12, we read about many gifts available to the body of Christ. This is not an all-inclusive list. Many other passages speak about other gifts of the Spirit. These are distributed to believers as the Spirit wills. It is similar to being used as a tool in the Master’s hand.

There were well-worn tools in the toolbox, and these are important and will continue to be useful. However, there was special emphasis on what I saw with the new tools. If the church wants to be useful to shift the negative aspects of the culture, we have to be willing to be open to being used in new ways. Ways that might be controversial. Ways that will require moving outside of our comfort zones. Ways that may not make sense to those bound to religious traditions.

Too many rely on a well-worn tool that worked in the past, but this new culture may require new tools to break through the layers of deception. The enemy’s strategies have captivated hearts and minds, and it will take a specific tool in the Master’s hand to make the needed change.

Are you willing to be that tool? Are you open to the empowerment of the Spirit that is available to equip you to minister in a life-changing way to this lost culture?

Interestingly, the box I saw that held the tools was the color red. This color often represents love, passion, strength, and power. Red in the Bible is often associated with divine protection and deliverance as seen in the Passover or with the sacrificial death of Jesus on the Cross.

I think the significance of this is the importance of us staying “in Him” as we are used. We can never function in the gifts properly in our own strength. Our love, passion, strength, and power come as we allow the Spirit to empower us to do His work. It is the blood of Jesus that provided that power and it is Him working through us that will get the job done.

Is Your Spiritual Enemy Trying to Terminate You?

02 Saturday Dec 2023

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If you have lived very long as a believer in Christ, you are likely aware that there are times that we face trials and tribulations. As we get closer and closer to the return of our Lord, the enemy assaults seem to be intensifying. There is much at stake. Do you currently feel like your spiritual enemy is trying to terminate you? If you would answer “YES” to that question, I want to ask you to take some time to consider the motive behind the attack.

To make my point, I want us to think about the world of entertainment, where we see plots and themes play out before our eyes in movies and TV shows, which are not always realistic, but they are entertaining.  One of those topics is time travel.  I remember years ago watching Michael J Fox play a character in the movies “Back to the Future”.  In this movie, he travels back in time to when his parents met.

There was another movie franchise, which also used time travel in its theme, called “The Terminator”.  I didn’t actually watch these movies, but I did see some of the episodes when they made a TV show out of it and I know the basic story line.

I looked up the contents of the movie on Wikipedia so I could have the details correct.  In this analogy, I want you to consider the young girl’s character, Sarah Conner.  In the first movie, which was released in 1984, she is a young single girl just living her life, when suddenly that reality is interrupted because a seemingly unstoppable cyborg assassin comes back from the year 2029, and is programmed to kill Sarah.  He is called the Terminator, and while he is a powerful machine, he appears to be human.

The reason Sarah is a target is because the child she will eventually give birth to is very important.  In the future, there is an artificial intelligence defense network called Skynet who initiates a nuclear holocaust.  Sarah’s future son John is so important, because he is the one who leads the human group called the Resistance, who will eventually stop Skynet and its army of machines.

In the first of the five movies in this franchise, The Resistance sent back through time travel one of its best soldiers to help protect Sarah, which he does, but he loses his own life in the process. 1

In the second movie in the series, John, Sarah’s son is 10 years old.  A second terminator, which is even more advanced and powerful than the original, was sent back from the future to try to kill Sarah’s son John.  A version of the original Terminator cyborg was reprogramed and sent back to protect Sarah and her son since the original human soldier was killed. 2

Without going into any more detail let me just say there are five movies in the franchise that show relentless efforts to destroy Sarah and her son John.  Why?  Because these creatures come from the future and in the future, there is a clear understanding of how important these individuals are.

It wasn’t Sarah that saved the world; it was her son. Her son would never have existed without Sarah!  He would never have existed had she not fought relentless battles to stay alive and then keep her son alive.

Are you connecting any dots as you think about how this situation may be playing out in your real spiritual life today? Our enemy has a way of knowing about our destiny and our assignments. He has one goal and that is to kill, steal, and destroy both you and your purpose! You see the more important your assignments are to the Kingdom of God, the more relentless the enemy will try to terminate you. You might say it this way.

The greater the assignment, the greater the battle!

The Lord recently spoke to me that the relentless attack being staged against you, your health, your mind, and your Spirit is an attempt to distract you from what He has for you. He said that the enemy of Christ and His Kingdom has targeted you as Jesus’ very own child, in order to discourage you and cause weariness and dread.

I loved the encouraging words the Lord shared with me about this. He said to lift up your head above the troubling and the chaotic thoughts. To understand that you are in a fight worth fighting! You are in a battle intended to end in victory! The greatest battle is about the greatest reward. It is about Jesus Christ’s end-time plan and end-time harvest!

There isn’t much time left before the Lord’s return, so we must not get weary in well doing, but press into Him and His presence. We must allow Him to equip and empower us for the work at hand. 

When you feel as if your spiritual enemy is trying to terminate you, always remember that the Lord has placed His angels around you to support you, protect you, and to work with you. Those who are with you are greater than those against you!

If you have been feeling under assault, I hope these thoughts will give you the fortitude to stand up and fight another day. Just ask yourself, what is in your future that your spiritual enemy wants to terminate? This will give you the tenacity to battle through and find out!

  1. The Terminator. 2023, in Wikipedia.  Retrieved December 2, 2023 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Terminator
  2. Terminator 2: Judgment Day, 2023 in Wikipedia. Retrieved December 2, 2023 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminator_2:_Judgment_Day

Seasons

06 Wednesday Sep 2023

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I live in Missouri where we typically have four distinct seasons each year. We are in one of those changes of seasons now where many activities are shifting, the weather is altering, and change is in the air.

In our natural and spiritual lives we will also experience seasons. How we navigate these times can determine our future success. I sit now looking out the window of a lake home I have loved for the past twelve years. It has been called my “happy place,” has served as a get-away from work and life challenges, and a wonderful place to spend time with family.

While this place is full of great memories, it has been a season that is about to change. In just three days we will say goodbye to this place. I sat here this morning praying that the Lord would help me correctly process my emotions.

I was reminded of the Sunday afternoon that followed taking my first born son to college. I honestly thought I would choke to death that day before as I said those brave goodbyes in the dorm while my son was giving me the eye that let me know I better not break down in front of is new friends.

It was the next day as I lay across his bed in his old bedroom knowing he would never live under my roof again that I began to process the change of season. I didn’t want to live in sadness, so I let the tears flow while I remembered all the amazing memories we had made together so far in his life. I had to let go and treasure those moments to release him into his next.

Now as I look back 19 years later, I see the beauty in his next seasons. He has a successful clinical pharmacy career, a beautiful wife, and two amazing children. A reminder that life is full of seasons!

Goodbyes and last times can be challenging for our human emotions, but that famous verse found in Ecclesiastes says, “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven” (3:1 NLT). Instead, we should try to focus on the new beginnings, on the firsts, and on the exciting next God has planned for us.

Sadly, many never experience God’s best for their lives because they are stuck in the past. Both past failures and past victories. We can’t live our lives too focused on the rear view mirror. When we use it appropriately, it provides us with some perception and caution, but our vision must be forward focused.

If you find yourself in a busy or difficult season in your life right now, don’t necessarily wish it away. You will never have this moment again. Stop and ask yourself, “What does God want me to do with this season?” He uses our best and worst times for a purpose…if we will just allow Him to. I pray God will bless you during your current season and help you to experience His best plan for your life!

Run to Win!

24 Monday Jul 2023

Posted by in Christian growth

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Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! 25 All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 26 So I run with purpose in every step….

1 Corinthians 9:24-26a NLT

The revelation of this passage of Scripture makes me think about Olympic track events. It is a great honor and takes great discipline in training to qualify to run in one of these important races. These athletes don’t just do all of this to run….they run to win!

I love the life lessons our children can learn from participating in athletics. Unfortunately, our culture has dictated that if you want your kids to be successful in sports, you need to be all in, you need to be totally committed and disciplined to the one sport. In itself, this is not a bad thing, but it often dominates and prioritizes all activities of life.

I watch as parents have no problem being dedicated to this to see their child succeed in a sport, but where is the commitment and discipline for the spiritual race? Where is the priority and the discipline to say my kids are going to be in Sunday school, they are going to be in Youth group and Wednesday night kids club? Many parents wouldn’t dream of letting a kid skip a sports practice because they felt tired, but its ok if they don’t feel like getting up to go to church. We want to see our kids who participate in sports, go to the next level, why do we not want to see the same thing in their Christian race. What about the adults, do we have this kind of commitment to the Christian race?

Just like those talented Olympic athletes, if we want to be committed to win in this Christian race we have do at least three preparatory things. First, sign up to be a participator! There is a big difference in those who come to spectate and those who come to participate. Make a decision to be “ALL IN” and give it your passion and your priority.

Secondly, don’t forget to go back to the basics! The first thing an athlete is going to do at the beginning of the season is some core strengthening. They don’t just show up on the day of the race and jump in the starting blocks. There are so many people who are running their Christian race this way. They just show up, no preparation, and then wonder why they aren’t winning. Winning requires some discipline!

  • Discipline in prayer
  • Discipline in the Word
  • Discipline of praise/worship/thanksgiving (both privately and publicly)

Lastly, winning requires preparing for the next. If you read 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, you will see that there are different kinds of spiritual gifts. We need to nurture and use those gifts and talents that the Lord has given us. God did not call us to the Kingdom to just occupy a pew until He returns to get us, He prepared each of us for unique services. The sad reality is, too many of have left their gifts unopened! Others are simply too busy to make a commitment to use their talents in Kingdom work.

After looking at these 3 steps of preparation, I would like to apply them to 4 different types of races.

  1. The 100-meter race

This is the shortest race that is run in competition. One of the most important parts in this race is the starting blocks. How well you come out of those blocks will often determine who will cross that line first.

I don’t care if you are just now deciding to join the Christian race or if you have been in it a long time and are ready to move to a new level, how you start is important. If you want to be successful, you have to commit to some things just like an athlete does. Get back to those basics and make a commitment to start strong!

  1. Hurdles

The second kind of race is the hurdles. Even if you don’t feel equipped to run a race that includes hurdles in the natural, I am here to tell you they will show up in your Christian race. The first step in successfully overcoming hurdles, is knowing they are coming. The Bible warns us several times to be strong in the Lord and prepare for the strategies of the devil (Eph. 6:10-13). When you know these tactics they become like the hurdles in a race and you can stay on pace and glide right over them knowing, “Greater is He who is in you, than He who is in the world!” (1 John 4:4)

  1. The Marathon

This race isn’t as much about how you start, but how you finish. Endurance is needed in the Christian race, especially when you are running a marathon. These races require much perseverance.  The ability to push through the pain and fatigue when you feel like your lungs are on fire and your legs cannot move another step.  I like the way the Message Bible describes perseverance in a long distance race. 

Do you see what this means — all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running — and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. 2 Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed…

Hebrews 12:1-2a The Message Bible

We are reminded to keep our eyes on Jesus since He demonstrated for us not only how to start a race, but how to finish it!

  1. The Relay Race

The thing that determines success in this race is how well and seamlessly we pass the baton. This too is an important part of the Christian race. Israel was instructed to diligently teach their children what the Lord instructed (Deut. 6:4-9). This command is important for us today; it is a type of passing the baton. We should be diligently teaching the things of God to our children and our grandchildren, and be a mentor to those who are new and maturing in their faith.

Regardless of what version of the race you are in, the 100 meter, the hurdles, the marathon, or a relay, make a decision to finish well. The Scripture etched on my headstone, where I will be laid to rest someday, should the Lord tarry reads, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7). This is what I want to be said of my life.

How will you finish?

Can Anything Good Come from Nazareth?

22 Monday May 2023

Posted by in Christian growth

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Many think that nothing good can come from their life, or their efforts for the Kingdom of God. We often compare our lives to our perception of another life and feel we just don’t measure up. Maybe it is because of our past mistakes, or where we grew up, or even the family we came from. Can I remind you today that none of these things define you!

Sometimes our perception deceives us. Many didn’t expect the Savior to come packaged as a baby in a manger. Look at this example in Scripture.

John 1:45-51 NLT

45 Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.” 46 “Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” “Come and see for yourself,” Philip replied. 47 As they approached, Jesus said, “Now here is a genuine son of Israel—a man of complete integrity.” 48 “How do you know about me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus replied, “I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you.” 49 Then Nathanael exclaimed, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God—the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus asked him, “Do you believe this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” 51 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth.”

I love this story! Nathanael had a perception, or we might even say a prejudice too, he said, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” The convincing factor for Nathanael was the way that Jesus acknowledged him when they met the first time. He already knew him because He had seen him under the fig tree.

Have you ever pondered this statement? It obviously meant something to Nathanael. Some commentators suspect that it is possible it was under the shade of a fig tree where he would spend time in meditation and prayer. Perhaps this is why Jesus chose this activity to let him know that He saw him there.

We shouldn’t be surprised by this statement; we know the Bible tells us that He formed us in our mother’s womb. He knew us and saw all the days of our lives before we were ever born! (Ps 139: 13-16)

What is even more amazing is the promise Jesus gave to Nathanael because he shifted his perception and believed. When he realized Jesus was the Son of God, Jesus told him he would see even greater things!

This is the thought I want to leave you with today; do you need to shift your perception and believe you can fulfill the destiny He saw when you were being formed in your mother’s womb? Remember, your past mistakes, or where you grew up, or even the family you came from doesn’t define you, He already did! You just need to walk it out! Be who He called you to be! Know that He sees you under your figurative fig tree, He sees the things we think little of. He sees us in our private devotional time, He hears our prayers, knows our thoughts, and wants us to see the greater things!