Anxious for Nothing

Philippians 4:6 says, Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

How much worry should fill your mind? How much worry should agitate your soul? The peace of God requires zero tolerance. Through prayer, you close the door to every enemy of peace. Philippians holds the keys to maintaining joy and peace. Paul said I’ll rejoice in everything. Despite the troubles and tribulations of this fallen world, misery, fear, anxiety and doubt are optional. Courage is a decision. The choice is ours. Therefore in everything give thanks. For I was crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live. Yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life that I now live I live by grace of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

The world and its earthly systems are run and ruled by fear. The problem with a living sacrifice is that it “crawls off the altar.” You’ve got to kill the old man of the flesh in order to present your body a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God which is your reasonable act of worship.

In the book called “New Morning Mercies, “have you come to the place where you filter everything in life for the purpose of the gospel of the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ? When amazing realities of the gospel quit commanding our awe and wonder, then the troubles of the world will invade our hearts. When we quit celebrating grace, we quit seeking the refuge that only grace and mercy can give.” It’s easy to give our minds over to the things that create doubt, worry, and fear. God is waiting patiently for us to turn our hearts back to him. Forgiveness is the nature of God. We must turn our hearts back to God in repentance to seek first the kingdom of God. When we turn our eyes back to God, we can press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

In the trying times of life, the question is “How much control do you have over this situation? At the deep end of the pool, God will ask, “No matter the outcome of this situation, will you purpose in your heart to praise me?” This is the question God had for Pete when he prayed in the father’s waiting room to deliver his wife and baby. The doctors had just reported that they were losing the baby’s heartbeat. Pete’s answer was, “Lord, I’m your bond servant. I’m here to do your will and praise you no matter what.” When the doctor came back and said, “We lost the baby,” Pete had a peace that he couldn’t comprehend. He had purposed in his heart to serve and praise God no matter the outcome of the situation.

Paul decided to rejoice even when he was in prison chained to a Roman guard. He knew that his witness was for his Lord Jesus Christ and proclaiming the good news of God’s salvation.

A true relationship with God depends on two things. The first is our confidence that God is Sovreign…he’s in control. The second is that he does all things and works all things for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.

The “upside down” kingdom of God is full of paradoxes. I must decrease so that he may increase. When I’m weak, then I’m strong. The first shall be last and the last shall be first. The greatest leader is the greatest follower. Thy strength is made perfect in my weakness, thy grace is sufficient for me.

The charge therefore is, remember Jesus who stood in our place.. The call is to remember the destinies of all who have been saved by the blood of Jesus. We choose to set our affection on things above not on things of the earth. We fill our hearts with awe and thankfulness when we look unto Him. In the midst of the challenges of life, we have the peace of God. Therefore, be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication and thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God that passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Why Anxiety?

How much fear should fill our soul? When it comes to anxiety and fear, God requires zero tolerance. Prayer, specific requests, and thanksgiving are the antidote to anxiety. According to Philippians 4:6, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.”

A grateful heart is the key to joy and rejoicing despite trials and pain. As Paul said, “the testing of your faith produces patience.” Anything that forces us to our knees in prayer are our “friends.” Trials and tribulations are guaranteed. However, doubt, worry, and fear are optional. Our challenge is, in everything give thanks. David said, “O Lord, you’re right when you correct me.” God is near to the broken-hearted. The sacrifices to God are a broken and a contrite heart. God doesn’t want your sacrifice, he wants your heart. A broken spirit he will never cast out.

The troubles of this world are either problems from the enemy or challenges to prove the power of God. Anxiety is the absence of gratitude in the presence of fear and sometimes in the presence of anger. From God’s perspective, there are no bad reports. Our challenge is to align our perspective with His perspective, for God is still in control…He is Sovreign over all.

Paul was thrown into a Roman prison for preaching the gospel. He sent Epaphroditus to Philipi with a letter from his prison cell to bless the Philippians. Paul’s testimony was that whatever the trial, I will choose to praise his name. Can God trust you to praise his name and glorify him through sickness and in health, for richer for poorer, in good times and bad? As Paul said, whether I’m, in need or abounding, everything is for the furtherance of the good news of the Gospel of Christ.

Success in the world’s eyes is to focus on our own comfort and fulfillment. However, we’re not in control over the circumstances of life. Our times are in thy hands. We get to choose our attitude. If we’ve been filled with the spirit and changed according to the newness of life, all things work for the advancement of the gospel.

Paul understood his calling as a bond servant of His Lord Jesus Christ. He understood his calling to be set apart as an apostle of his Lord. Like Paul, we can choose to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God. We are witnesses of the gospel. He has called us as his living epistles.

Marriage according to God’s design is a witness and an example of the love of God. If we’re casual in marriage and in our faith, we’ll become casualties in the spiritual battle. God has called us in marriage so that we can encourage, comfort, love and bless each other…so that we can meet each other at the foot of the cross to reconcile our hearts together in love.

The problem with a “living sacrifice” is that it wants to crawl off the altar. To present ourselves a living sacrifice we must die to self in order to live for him. Our choice is to pray, “not my will but thine be done.” When we decide to make his will our will and his desire our desire, then God will work in us and through us to will and to do of His good pleasure.

The solution to anxiety is prayer, and supplication, with thanksgiving unto God. When we decide to praise God no matter the consequences, then we will know the peace of God that passes all understanding. Our calling is to rest in his purpose and in his strength. When we put our hopes and dreams in that which cannot be taken away, then we will find peace in our Lord. Therefore, be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

The Wings of Eagles

Most men don’t have six good friends who would carry their coffin. That’s why we meet every week to fellowship with our Band of Brothers. We’re here to encourage one another and to build each other up. We’ve been called to “choke in the dust of men who are in hot pursuit of their Lord Jesus Christ.”

Isaiah had a message for the nation of Israel in Isaiah 40. Israel had a record of turning away from the Lord God Jehovah. Then God would allow Israel’s enemies to defeat them and make them slaves. Israel would cry out to God to have mercy and deliver them from bondage. When they repented, God would deliver them. For a time, Israel would live in peace and prosperity. Then they would become complacent and allow the world to influence their thoughts and actions. They would turn their back on God. The vicious cycle would continue.

God allows his people to become needy, desperate, and helpless. This is the point of repentance… When we turn away from our hopeless selves and the bondage of a world of darkness and depression. According to Isaiah 40:26, turn your eyes upon the Lord’s creation and ask yourself, “who created the vastness of the universe?”

Patience and trust is learned in times of helplessness and hopelessness.

Isaiah 40:6 – 15 says, “The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that”“bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!
Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?
With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?
Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance…

God wants to lift us up and give us wings like eagles. To get there, we must go through trials and tribulation. We need to be broken before he can heal us. Israel needed to be brought to her knees in order to turn back to the Lord. Barriers must be removed from our lives before the Word can go forth and accomplish that which he intended in our lives.

We need to own our weaknesses in order for his strength to be perfected in us. As John the Baptist said, “I must decrease so that he may increase.” God has offered us great and precious promises. However, acceptance of God’s promise depends on our believing action. He is longing to pardon us. How far are we willing to go to accept his pardon? Therefore, trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey.

When Paul got to the end of his life, he kept his eye on heaven. In 2 Timothy 4:7-8 He said, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” According to Philippians 4:13, I press toward the mark of the upward calling of God in Christ Jesus.

When the Jews looked back, they saw their sin, disobedience and desperation. God still loved them in the midst of their depression. God sent his prophet to comfort them in their time of need. God gives mercy and grace despite our sinful selves. Even when we deserve rebuke and chastisement, he gives us grace. It sets our priorities when we realize that he does not hold our sins against us. He forgives not because we deserve forgiveness but because his nature is loving kindness and tender mercy.

We run to our Lord because he has given us mercy and grace. Our loving master comforts, encourages and builds us up as his precious bond servants. He says despite your shortcomings, you are my prized possession.

As Paul said, “thy strength is made perfect in my weakness, thy grace is sufficient for me.” Therefore humble thyself under the mighty hand of God and in due time he will lift you up. According to Isaiah 40:31, they that wait upon the lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount upon wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint.

May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Wings Like Eagles

The end of Isaiah 40 is a refreshing thought from the Word. For they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall soar upon wings as eagles. According to verse 8 of this chapter, The grass withers, the flowers fade but the Word of God abides forever. This message was for Israel, God’s chosen people. They continued the cycle of peace, blessing, victory and plenty. Then they would become complacent and intermarry with the heathen nations. When they turned their back on God, the Lord allowed their enemies to defeat them. When they returned back to God in their distress, God would have mercy on them. The cycle would continue. Israel became distracted by wealth, peace and prosperity. God would allow them to be defeated so that they could return back to him.

In the Old Testament, there were only a few examples of men of God who faithfully walked with God. Others continued in this cycle of prosperity, complacency, defeat, repentance, and renewal.

Despite the vicious cycles of our relationship with our Lord, God is still Sovreign overall. He numbered the stars of the heaven. According to Isaiah, the nation’s are nothing in his eternal perspective. Compared to the vastness of God’s creation, the question is “who am I Oh Lord, that thou art mindful of me?”

Most men are the centers of their own worlds. They become anxious and frustrated when their “rights” are violated. However, the scripture says, “humble thyself under the mighty hand of God and he will exalt you in due time.” Humility is the key to receiving anything from God. In times of scarcity, silence, and drought, these are the times God teaches us to abide with him and within him. He teaches us faithfulness through the lean times. As Mother Theresa said, “God works best with nothing.” We learn his mercy, grace, compassion and the meaning of humility when “we must decrease so that He may increase.”

Continuing in verse 29 of Isaiah 40, “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.”

The devil will tell us that God didn’t answer our prayer because he doesn’t care. He will also say that God is not powerful enough to accomplish it. He says, “God is beyond understanding so you might as well just give up.”

However every problem is inversely proportional to the power required to overcome it. How big is your God? He gives power to the weak and increases his strength when we we reach the end of our own limited ability. As the Apostle Paul said, Thy strength is made perfect in my weakness, thy grace is sufficient for me.”

The ultimate freedom is the ultimate surrender. Those who wait and trust and hope in the Lord shall renew their strength. Security is putting your faith and hope in that which cannot be taken away. Jesus said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” In times of adversity, you will understand what really matters. The question through adversity is “Lord, what are you teaching me through this trial?”

When Pete and Suzan lost their baby in the delivery room, they meditated on thoughts from the devotional “Come Away With Me.” The passage they read said, “when you acknowledge that you have no control over any situation in life, you must empty your own plans so that he can fill you with His purpose and His will. Adversity will make you an example of putting your trust in His Sovreign will.”

The conclusion is in Isaiah 40:31, “Therefore, they who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint.”

May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

The Gospel: Good News and Bad News

After Jesus sent out seventy disciples to prepare the cities before him, they reported back excited and on fire that they had performed miracles and cast out demons in his name. Jesus said, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning… However rejoice not because the demons are subject to you through my name, but because your names are written in the book of life.”

What are you excited about? What sets your soul on fire? If you’re working on works to ignite your soul, then the fire will burn out quickly. According to the Oswald Chambers, the ultimate reality is the “rugged reality” of redemption. Most men do things out of duty to live the Christian life. They don’t eagerly run to their Lord Jesus Christ from a heart of love. The most difficult thing for a missionary is to keep his heart right with the Lord…to say, “here am I Lord, send me. My heart’s desire is to do thy will.”

If you come to the Word of God from duty and obligation, then you’re under law and not under grace. Under the law of obligation everything is a burden. However, Jesus said, “come unto me all ye who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” Ninety percent of evangelism and ministry is serving from a heart of love.

According to Oswald Chambers in his devotional for February 1, the life of a Christian is on display for his Lord Jesus Christ. There is no running and hiding from the spirit of the Lord. God intended us to be living epistles known and read of all men. For ye are the salt of the earth, ye shine as lights in a world of darkness.

The world will turn its back on righteousness. For that which is of the world is contrary to the spirit of life in Christ. For those who want to be like the world, there is a “Christ-less Christianity.” If the Word of God is not the center of the message in church, then it’s not about him, it’s about “entertainment.” In the church of the living God, we’re living for an audience of one…our worship is for Him alone.

The gospel message is about good news and bad news. The bad news is that we’re sinners and that the wages of sin is eternal death. For it is appointed for all men once to die and then comes the judgement. To come to the Lord, we must come to the point that without God we’re hopeless and helpless in a world of darkness.

After David sinned with Bathsheba and had her husband Uriah killed, David lived in sin for a season. God gave the prophet Nathan a story to tell David. Nathan told David about a man in his kingdom who had only one possession… a little ewe lamb whom he raised and loved like his own daughter. Then a rich man who had flocks of sheep entered the poor man’s house, stole his little lamb, killed it and served it to his rich guests. David was a Shepard so this story enraged David. He said, “the rich man deserves to die.” Then Nathan stuck his finger in David’s chest and said, “You are the man.” This story broke David’s heart. It brought David to the point of repentance.

There are times in every man’s life when God will allow someone to come along side and stick a finger in our chest. This is the prerequisite for repentance. In Psalm 51, David recorded his prayer of repentance…be gracious unto me O Lord, according to your loving kindness and tender mercies. Blot out my transgressions and create in me a new heart O Lord.” When we repent we understand that He loves us not because of what we’ve done, but because His nature is grace, mercy, and love.

The unforgiven heart is an unforgiving heart. Jesus Christ has given us grace. The good news of the gospel is that he who was without sin became the perfect sin sacrifice on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him. Because we have been forgiven, we can give grace. We can give to others from a heart of love because he has created within us a new heart. The good news of the gospel is that we’ve been called as his living epistles known and read of all men. They may not hear what you say but they’ll read what you do.

An old hymn was written by John Wesley to teach his illiterate congregation the Christian doctrine. He wrote “O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing” to celebrate God’s salvation. This is the song of a heart on fire for the Lord as his living epistles.

Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer’s praise, The glories of my God and King, The triumphs of His grace!

My gracious master and my God, Assist me to proclaim, To spread to all the earth abroad, The honors of thy name!

May this be our prayer and our anthem to ignite our hearts to share the gospel of the grace of God.

May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

His Mission: Our Co-Mission

Mama said, “be careful who your friends are, because whatever they’re like you’ll be like.” According to scripture, “bad company corrupts good morals.” In our Christian “band of brothers,” I’m here because you’re here. You make me want to be a better man.

Bryan Craig, Influencer’s National director says our ministry is a Journey for men who want to abide with Christ. Isaiah received revelation about Jesus’ mission.
Isaiah 61 says, “THE Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2. To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3. To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”

Jesus Christ came to fulfill this prophecy. He defined his mission by opening his ministry with a quote from this passage in Luke 4: 17-19. At his first coming he came “to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” He will fulfill the rest of this prophecy at his second coming.

Jesus’ mission was to “Proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound…to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” The process of Journey Groups is designed to set people free as we journey together to follow our Lord Jesus Christ. Influencers Journey groups grow organically as men step up to journey together with their fellow believers in their sphere of influence. As we men grow in our vertical relationship with Christ, our intimate relationship with Christ allows us to live graciously and lovingly with the ones we love.

According to Matthew 28:19-20, the great co-mission is, “go ye therefore into all the world and make disciples of all men, baptizing them ….and lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world.” In Acts. 1:8, the disciples asked Jesus when he would return. Jesus said, “that’s in God’s timing, but ye shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be my witness in Jerusalem and in all Judea and unto the uttermost part of the world.” The witness is in the new life in Christ when he is the object of our faith.

We’ve been sanctified, and set apart for his purpose when we enter into his presence. Oswald Chambers said the “rugged reality” is redemption in Christ. For we’ve been bought with a price. We’re no longer our own, but Christ lives in us and through us when he calls us according to His purpose. After Jesus said that you’ll be my witnesses, he was lifted up out of their sight.

We’re witnesses by how we react to the difficult times in our lives. Through the trial others will see that He is our peace through the storm…that he’s the healer of broken hearts. Continuing in Acts 1, As the disciples were looking up, two men in white asked them, “Why are you looking intently into the sky? He will come again in like manner.” Our hope is in looking forward to the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Meanwhile, he’s called us to fellowship with our brothers in Christ. If our commitment is to the great commission, things that used to bother us no longer matter. Hurts and disappointments no longer turn into bitterness and resentment. We take on the new nature of our Resurrected Lord. His nature is grace, mercy, forgiveness and love. Our witness is to walk in the newness of life. Upon this Journey to abide with him and to walk with him, he will change our hearts to be witnesses of the gospel of Christ.

May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

The Mission

It’s difficult for men to decide what they really want. What’s your passion in life? What makes it worthwhile to jump out of bed each morning? When your prayer is, “God, give me the passion to do your will,” God will break your heart for what breaks his. When you ask God for a passion, then he will work with you and in you to will and to do of His good pleasure.

According to Romans 1, Paul knew his mission and his one purpose in life. He began this book by calling himself a “bondservant” of his Lord Jesus Christ. Paul had a dramatic “conversion experience” on the road to Damascus while he was traveling to persecute Christians. He was a devout Pharisee who wanted to stamp out Christianity. Jesus said of the Pharisee’s that they were “whitewashed sepulchers,” tombstones that look pretty on the outside but have dead bones on the inside. Jesus reserved his harshest criticism for the Pharisees. On the road to Damascus he heard a voice from heaven that said, “Saul, Saul why are you persecuting me?” He was called by the Lord Jesus to serve a new master.

A bond servant serves his master voluntarily from a heart of love. Most slaves serve because the “have to” not because they “want to.” In biblical times, slaves were required by law to serve their masters because of a legal obligation for a certain period of time. Most slaves couldn’t wait to be freed from the bondage of their hard task masters. However, a bond slave is one who had paid his debt of service to his master. He returned to his master to plead for his master to allow him to continue to serve, not because of obligation but voluntarily from a heart of love. To mark his bondservant, the master put black ink on his servant’s ear and pierced his ear to the doorpost. This indelible mark told the world that the bondservant was bound by love to voluntarily serve his master from a heart of love for life.

Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he told his disciples, “go into all the world and make disciples of all nations. And I will be with you even unto the end the world.” This “great commission” is the calling of men of God. We are called to deliver the message of the good news of God’s salvation.

The call of God to the Apostle Paul was to preach the gospel. The gospel consists of bad news and good news. The bad news is that “there is none righteous, no not one.” For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. According to Hebrews, It is appointed once for all men to die and then comes the judgement. Most men will reject the message that “sin” is the nature of all men. However, the massage of salvation is not whether we sin, but whether we accept the savior from sin. Those who are committed to share the gospel know that they are not perfect, just forgiven. Not because of our own righteousness but because of His righteousness. For he who was without sin became the perfect sin sacrifice on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him. Because we’ve been saved by grace, we have been set apart to deliver the good news of the gospel of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Our calling is to preach the gospel of redemption for he has called us as “living epistles”… God’s love letters known and read of all men. Our mission is to demonstrate the good news of God’s salvation.

Sanctification is growing to become more like Christ. It means “separated according to the purpose for which the Designer designed us.” The purpose of our testimony is that we show forth the glory of the one who has called us to his grace, mercy and love. Our purpose is to lift up our Lord Jesus Christ. Our life’s mission is to bless others by demonstrating the love of God.

Most Americans think that the purpose of life is the “pursuit of happiness.” They think that the “good things in life” will make us happy. However, blessings according to God’s standard are different from the world’s definition of happiness. The devil’s original lie was that “man is the center of the universe, not God.” He said “God’s not God…you are. Ye shall be like God knowing good from evil.” However, blessing is not in being served but in serving to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. A bond servant says, “thy wish is my command.” My pleasure is the good pleasure of your will. For it is God who works in you to will and to do of His good pleasure.

God will teach us to love others when we love Him above all. He will use trials, tribulations, heartbreak and pain so that we can know that he is the one who is our comfort and strength…that we must decrease so that he may increase. He teaches to run to him for refuge…casting all your cares upon him for he cares for you. He has called us to preach the gospel and to use words only when necessary….to proclaim the glory of the one who has called us from the darkness of this world and into the glorious light of the gospel of truth.

May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael