Tag Archives: faith
Jesus Is More than a Crutch!
Last night I was sifting through boxes of stuff in my tiny office in the basement of our church and I came across several notebooks in which I’d maintained somewhat of a diary.
I’ll be honest with you, it’s been a pretty difficult time around here, lately. Not only has my faith been tested on an hourly basis, but my own brokenness has been made clear over and over again. When I took a few minutes to flip through the pages of those old notebooks, all from over a decade ago, the truth that my broken condition is chronic became obvious.
But there was one page I found where I had written some encouraging words. However, they weren’t words of affirmation meant to build up my ego or make me feel better about myself; they were attestations to the fact that Jesus is more, so much more, than a crutch to me.
Below is a copy of the text…
You say you don’t need Jesus because you don’t need a crutch. If you don’t think you need him, then maybe you’re crippled to high for crutches.
Jesus is more than a crutch!
Throw away Jesus and take the Devil, but I choose Jesus.
Just think about it:
The Devil tries to burden me down
-Jesus says, “Cast your cares on me.”“Forgiven” by Thomas Blackshear
The Devil wants me to sin.
-Jesus bore my sin.Satan will try to weaken me.
-Jesus is my strength.When Satan fires his arrows at me,
-Jesus is my Shield.In the midst of the storm
-Jesus hides me in his hand.Satan would see me defeated.
-Jesus fights my battles.Satan would have me fall into despair.
-Jesus lifts me from the pit.Satan would harm me.
-Jesus will heal me.When darkness is all around and Satan would blind me,
-Jesus is my Light.When Satan says, “There is no way,”
-Jesus says, “I AM THE WAY”When Satan says I’m guilty,
-Jesus paid my debt.When the Devil would lead me astray,
-Jesus is my Shepherd.When the Devil would watch me fall,
-Jesus carries me.
“Precious Lord, take my hand. Lead me on, help me stand. I am tired, I am weak, I am worn.
Through the storm, through the night, lead me on to the light:
Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.” – Thomas A. Dorsey
He leads; He goes before; He walks beside; He holds me; He carries me; He helps me to stand; He gives me a race to run: He’s so much more than a “crutch” to me.
Filed under Christian Living, Christian Maturity, Depression, Faith, Jesus, worship, writing
Endurance: What We ALL Need!
The following video was recorded Saturday morning last week at the Tennessee Baptist Bivocational Ministers and Wives Retreat in PIgeon Forge, TN.
(BTW, I recorded this on my iPad mini, and at one point I dropped it… sorry)
This final message of the retreat, delivered by Roc Collins, was meant for us pastors and ministry leaders, but it’s a message that all of us should hear – more than once.
If you are facing a discouraging time, or if you are at a point when you feel you can’t go any further, I beg you to watch this sermon. If you are not encouraged, I’ll give you a full refund 😉
Seriously, this was a fantastic, uplifting and challenging message from which all of us can benefit, especially in this time we live.
God bless! Endure!
Filed under baptist, Christian Living, Life Lessons, ministry, Preaching
They’re Coming After Your Church, and Maybe You
I could write a long post addressing many of the same things, but Ben Shapiro covers a lot of the things I’ve been warning about for years.
You may not have the time to watch the whole program right now, but I would encourage you to watch as much as you can when you can, at lest the first 20 minutes.
We are approaching a dark day in America, one like we’ve never seen before. As Christians, are you ready for what is coming? Are you prepared to deal with the struggles that believers will have to endure?
Republican or Democrat, honestly, you should open your eyes to the danger to our freedoms that is just around the corner.
Will you still be committed to your faith when being faithful to the teachings of Christianity is a crime?
I’d love to hear your thoughts. We can discuss ways to proceed.
Filed under America, Christian Unity, Christianity, Church
Thus you shall say to the worried…….
Good Monday morning!
This morning I am sharing a post from a blogger I don’t know. I don’t even know his or her name. All I know is that this blogger left a comment this morning on my blog, then I followed up by checking out theirs.
What I found was a lot of simple, quick-to-read posts meant to encourage. And being that it’s Monday, and considering what I’m currently struggling with, this post from Bible Blogger hits the spot.
Check it out!
via Thus you shall say to the worried…….
December 17, 2018 · 8:34 am
Christmas IS the Gospel
This month will see a lot of Christmas sermons preached, and if you actually go to church somewhere, you might actually get to hear some 😉
But if you aren’t planning on attending any church services this December, or if you just can’t get enough of sermons on the subject of Christmas, I would encourage you to listen to the one I’m attaching below.
Several years ago (2012) while pastoring at another church, I delivered a sermon entitled “Christmas Is the Gospel.” It was recorded on my iPhone that was sitting on the pulpit, so don’t expect too high a quality of production.
Why did the angels tell the shepherds what they are about to hear was “good tidings”? Pick up a Bible and turn to the book of Luke, chapter two, and follow along.
Listen: Christmas IS the Gospel
And remember, “sharing” is caring 🙂
I Worship Me
I Am That Important
I could stay at home and get some more sleep… because, you know, it’s that important.
I could stay at home and watch some TV… because, you know, it’s that important.
I could sleep a little later, then make a special breakfast… because, you know, it’s that important.
I could stay at home, wake up later, make a light breakfast, then take a morning jog when there’s no rush… because, you know, it’s that important.
Or, I could just ignore the needs of my fellow believers; I could assume I’m never missed and my absence makes no difference; and I could just brush aside any biblical commands while I hold God hostage to my demands… because, you know, I am that important.
I am… kinda has a nice ring to it, you think?
Yeah, who needs to go to church on Sunday morning, anyway? Especially when I AM the one I worship the rest of the week.
“For men shall be lovers of their own selves…” – 2 Timothy 3:2
Filed under Church
Don’t Ask for a Sign
Just a little while ago, feeling a little down and discouraged – it’s been a rough few days, spiritually speaking – I thought out loud to God, saying:
“Lord, is there anything I wouldn’t give to see something tangible with my own eyes? Something to encourage me. Something to increase my faith.”
Almost immediately I heard a still, small Voice speak to my conscience, “Then it wouldn’t be faith, would it?”
Yeah, it was convicting. Are His promises not enough? Should I be any less obedient to His revealed Word if I never have an epiphany? Is the illumination of the Spirit of any less value than a beam of light?
We walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7).
Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6).
What I should be praying is, “Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief!” Then, following faith, God can use a “sign” as confirmation.
If the sign comes before the faith, then the product will not be true faith, for “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1).
Filed under Christian Maturity, Depression, Faith
It Will Be OK
I was lying in bed last night, setting the alarm on my iPhone, when it occurred to me that I have not been writing on my blogs very much lately.
Just a few minutes ago I thought it would be a good idea to at least go back to the archives and find something interesting or entertaining to repost, you know, just to keep the activity going.
But then I read a post from Wally Fry. He’s going through some tough stuff right now with a job loss and the impending death of this beloved father-in-law due to brain cancer.
Life can be hard. Devastating, to be honest.
But, even though what I’m about to say may not sound comforting on the surface, it’s a foundational truth that can help through times like this – times like a lot of us are going through right now: Others have been down this road before us, and they say, “It will be OK.”
What I know is that we live in a world that is broken by sin. One day it will be made new. One day all the answers we are looking for will finally be answered. On that day we will finally be able to understand what our finite brains are incapable of understanding, now.
One day the redeemed in Christ will stand in the presence of Holiness and look back on what God was doing through all these trials and say with utter amazement, “WOW!”
Until then, this is the day that the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it. It’s a choice I will make – by faith – that the One who created the day is with me in the day and will never leave me nor forsake me to its uncertainties and fears. I am not alone in the furnace. I’m not alone in the boat that seems to be sinking. I’m not alone in the field with not enough provision to feed the thousands.
And if you know Christ, neither are you.
It will be OK.
Filed under Faith, Family, Life Lessons, Life/Death, Struggles and Trials
The Recovering Legalist 