Wednesday Morning Devotional

“Take away the stone,” he said.  “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.  – John 11:38-39

We live in a world where the overwhelming majority of people who call themselves Christians make little to no effort to show the world Christianity.  Part of the answer may lie in Acts 11:26, “the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.”  I don’t think we were ever intended to call ourselves “Christians.”  Other people (outside of Christianity) are supposed to call us Christians because we live differently than the culture.  Our obedience to Christ does not save us, our trust in the work He did on the cross does that, but obedience should define us.

Unfortunately, we use the same excuse Martha did, “Lord, doing what You say stinks.”  Obedience is often difficult. Evil convinces us that if God doesn’t come through, it could be embarrassing for us, and let’s face it, as Americans, we want everything done for us with minimal to no effort on our part.  We don’t want to have to do anything.  Most Americans are content to show up to church on Sunday morning, have their “toes” stepped on, and then go live the rest of the week exactly like they did the previous week.  

I’m asking the Lord this morning, “What stone can I move?”  The things God asks of us are completely doable.  He told Peter to cast his net out on the other side of the boat (Luke 5:4).  Peter didn’t want to (Luke 5:5), but that act of obedience produced the presence of God like he had never known before.  What act of obedience can I do that will open the door for God to do what only He can do?

One act of obedience for me is simply to write these WMD’s.  One day when a guy from Kenya told me that he read one of these at his church, I was blown away.  Another time, a guy from Florida read one to his football team before they took the field.  I can take 30 minutes to an hour each week to write these things.  I can roll this one stone away.  I can’t change anyone’s heart, mind, and life.  I can’t forgive sins . . . only Jesus can do that.  But, just maybe, I can roll a stone away that paves the way for Him to do so.

One of the hardest and most rewarding things I’ve done was make the decision to play music in wine bars, taprooms, and taverns.  When I first thought God was asking me to do this, I felt like Peter when he was told he could eat unclean foods . . . “Surely not, Lord!” (Acts 10:14).  I didn’t listen to nor play the stuff that I used to play.  I began to think about how so many kids in school hated me simply because I was a teacher . . . especially a math teacher.  Yet, so often, if I had a guitar in my hand and played any Metallica riff, the kid suddenly thought I was the coolest guy in the world.  He would for the first time open up, talk to me, and even learn from me.  I began to think that there just might be people in the places I might play who are running from God.  I thought that playing one well-placed worship song might be enough for God to point them back towards home.  

This proved to be correct.

What are the stones that you can roll away today?

Lord, with all my heart I want to follow You.  Use me to lead as many people as possible to a saving relationship with You.  I don’t want to die having taken no one with me to Heaven.  You are and always will be the greatest thing this life offers.  Use us, Your people, to roll stones away . . . we can do that.  But only You can bring the dead to life.  Help us Father to get this right . . . especially at a time where your return is so near.  Amen.

Lord, I humble myself and bow before You, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Thank You so much for entering this world when You did and giving Your life on the cross that I and anyone else who would receive the mercy and grace that You extended there could be saved.  Anyone can be made clean and have access to You.  What a gift!  What an honor!

I’m so sorry that I don’t take more advantage of this access.  But, when I do take advantage, oh the joys that I find!  I find myself wondering why I do anything else.  Lord, I look so forward to the day when my faith becomes sight.  This world and time in general are moving so fast.  Help me to slow down and enjoy walking with You, for You are with me.

I pray for the people who will read this WMD.  I pray that Your presence just floods each and every soul.  I pray that Your goodness and mercy will follow them all the days of their lives.  Should anyone reading this not know You, convict them of their sins, and let them know that they are invited to the altar of repentance.  Turning to You has and always will be the single greatest moment of my life.  Thank You for still working on me and never letting me go.  

I pray for this country, Lord.  The United States of America . . . who could not be less United.  I pray that You will send revival, Lord.  May the hearts of men truly turn back to You, the one true God!  May those who call themselves Christians humble themselves, pray, seek Your face, and turn from their wicked ways.  For only then will You hear from heaven, forgive our sin, and heal our land.  Unite us through the power of the cross.

I pray for Christians around the world, Lord.  Many endure persecution for believing in You.  Comfort them and be ever so present with them.  Be ever so present with me as I go to work in Your Name.  May the Spirit of the living God lead, guide, and direct my path.  All I know is that my time on this Earth is ridiculously short . . . let me waste none of what I have left.

May Your Name be exalted.

Amen

Have a Little Talk with Jesus

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.  – 1 Peter 5:7

Saturday, I drove the Walhalla Cross Country teams to Greenwood.  Cross country runs super early.  They were leaving the school at 5:45 am.  These kinds of jobs are right up my alley.  After everything and everyone was loaded up, it was time for the hour and forty-minute ride.  I realized that I had gotten straight out of bed and went straight to the bus, so I had spent no time with the Lord.

As I took off down the road, I started thinking about everything.  I have a lot going on right now, house problems which could lead to financial problems.  Relationship problems which tend to lead to anxiety.  I thought about conversations that needed to be had.  I thought about telling everything to my wife, then I thought “she might not care for a 5:50 am conversation, plus I can’t talk out loud on this bus right now.”  Then I began to sing a song in my head that I haven’t sung in quite a while:

I may have doubts and fears

My eyes be filled with tears

But Jesus is a friend who watches day and night

I go to Him in prayer

He knows my every care

Just a little talk with Jesus makes it right

So, I started at the beginning.  He showed me everything I needed to move forward and have peace in my heart.  He showed me how big of a sin it was to have Him as my father and be anxious.  By the time I was finished, I realized forty minutes had gone by and I was at perfect peace.  I was at such perfect peace that I drove by two places that always stir up hurt, anger, and depression with in me . . . and I didn’t even think about it.  He finished with, “When you give it all to me and focus on me, those kinds of things will never bother you again.”  I was blown away.  To say that I had a great day would be an understatement.  I still had all kinds of stuff to do and responsibilities to deal with, but man was I at perfect peace.

Lord, I can’t thank you enough for the privilege of prayer.  I can’t believe I don’t take more advantage of it than I do.  Talking with You for that long and just casting every care upon You was about as freeing as the day I got saved in the first place.  You are amazing!  To think that You’ve got me and are leading me safely home just might be the greatest joy of my life as I sit here and type this.  Help everyone reading this to get along with You and have a little talk.  I love You, Lord.  Amen.

In the Beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  – Genesis 1:1

I had to take a day off from teaching yesterday to stay home and work on the foundation of my house.  My dad and I (mostly my dad) had to take care of some water damage in two places caused by a water heater and a leaky drain.  I was hunched over walking around in my crawl space and I’m feeling it pretty good this morning.  

For the past two weeks, I have been studying a Biblical worldview.  As I was praying this morning in the crisp, cool air, I realized that I’ve been fixing some things that were foundationally wrong with my faith.  For weeks before that, I was studying and researching on why so many Christians were leaving the faith in this “exvangelical” movement.  People who had at one time followed Jesus, and I mean lots of people, are doing just like they did in John 6:66 and following Jesus no more.

The big question is why?  The first two paragraphs I’ve written this morning are very connected.  According to a Gallop Poll from July of last year, only 40 % of people who called themselves Christians believe the Bible is the word of God.  51% basically said “parts of the Bible are true.”  The worst part, at least to me, was that 8% said it was simply a book of fables, history, and moral precepts written by men.  

We are in trouble!  We have been in trouble and didn’t realize it.  Somehow, we have entered this time period where pastors and evangelicals have preached that “accepting Jesus” is enough.  It doesn’t matter what you believe about the Bible, just “receive Jesus” and you’ll be okay.  Often, John 3:16 is used to defend this position.  But John 3:16 begins, “For God so loved the world that He gave . . .”  We believe and place our trust in Jesus within the bigger context that it is the God of the Holy Bible who sent Him.  If you take Jesus out of the context of the Bible as God’s holy word, then you end up with a Jesus who happens to look, act, and believe exactly as you do.

I’ve always believed the Bible was the word of God.  However, I have allowed parts of the secular worldview to damage my foundation.  The slow drip began for me in college.  I remember my science professor being crazy smart and interesting.  I didn’t know it at the time, but instead of simply rejecting a lot of the teaching, I began to fit a lot of that teaching into my beliefs.  I began to say things like, “well, God could have created it all by the Big Bang.”  I began to think that maybe each day of creation was a thousand-year period of time instead of simply taking God at His word.  I have identified and corrected quite a bit these past couple of weeks.

Hopefully my physical house and my spiritual house will be foundationally solid again very soon.

Lord, I want to fully believe in You and Your word.  I don’t want to waver and allow secular humanism to creep into what I know to be true.  Help us, Your people who are called by Your name to humble ourselves, pray, seek Your face, and turn from our wicked ways.  Oh how we need You to hear from heaven, forgive our sin, and heal our land.  Evil has damaged so many Christian foundations by doing the same thing to us it did to Eve in the garden, “Did God really say . . .?”  Help us, Lord, we have so many Christians who have no handle on Your word and therefore don’t believe 2 Timothy 3:16.  Send a true revival, Lord.  Send it soon!  Amen!

Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young – a place near your altar.  – Psalm 84:3

Ever since I felt led to start a church on the first of January this year, I’ve been taking some spiritual beatings.  There has been no lack of opposition.  Just six days ago, I was in despair.  Our little church had nowhere to go.  The Salem Community Club and park shelter, our primary meeting places, was going to be rented out for the rest of the month and a lot of October.  They have been beyond good to us to allow us to do what we have done so far.  

Don’t get me wrong, we do have people willing to help us.  Outside of Salem, I have friends willing to basically let me use their entire church at 4:00 on Sundays.  I have local bars more than willing to do whatever they need to do to ensure we have a meeting place.  My whole thing so far has been that I really wanted to start and grow something in Salem.  I wanted to join a select few people who really want to see the town live again.  I want to be a part of that.  I was beginning to wonder if God really wanted me to be a part of that.  Even though I’ve been met with closed door after closed door, one has always seemed to open just in time.

I prayed, “Lord, will You help us? Will You show us where to go?”  I thought to send a text to one of my good friends at Salem Methodist Church, which is literally 20 yards from where we have been meeting.  Something in me was expecting another “no,” another excuse as to why they can’t, or maybe even some sort of rent price we couldn’t keep up. Sometimes I don’t know if it is the devil himself, or my own negativity that speaks this way.   I decided to wait until the next day to tell everyone that we had no place to meet.  I figured at worst; we would just meet at my house . . . which is NOT in Salem.  

Well, in true God fashion, He showed up for us.  The Methodist Church didn’t just say that we could use their fellowship hall, they welcomed us.  They told me that they wanted us there.  They said things like, “We just want the Word of God to be spread,” and “We certainly wouldn’t want to be the reason someone didn’t hear the Word of God.”  The Spirit of God just flooded me for a bit as if to say, “Yes, Adam, I’ve still got you.”

Lord, thank You so much for the kindness You have shown me.  Ever since I’ve started this, I feel like I’m taking beating after beating.  I have thought about giving up, but I also know that I can do all things through You who strengthens me.  I just want to take as many people to heaven with me as possible.  Please help me do that, Lord! Amen.

I’m thinking of Podcasting my sermons.  I’ve posted the last two.  I may or may not keep it up.  There are things I like about sermons being posted on the internet, and there are things I don’t like about them being on the internet.  At any rate, if you want to take a listen, you can do that here:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2242874/episodes/13525292

If you want to join us for a service, we meet at 4:00 on Sundays in the Salem Methodist Church fellowship hall.  

Selfie Mode

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.  People will be lovers of themselves.  – 2 Timothy 3:1-2

I just googled that 93 million selfies are taken each day.  Thus, if each snap of a selfie represented one mile, we would make it to the Sun every day (Of course, this is according to round-earth theory). I’ve never really thought about, nor cared how many selfies people take of themselves.  I watched a bus load of students walk out of a gas station recently and one by one take a selfie.  For the first time in my life, I thought it was strange.  I immediately thought of 2 Timothy 3.

The internet has changed so many things.  Social media has made it possible to make this little shrine to ourselves.  We air our own opinions and show the world the world through our eyes.  When someone doesn’t agree with us, we often “unfriend” them.  I’ve been unfriended for simply asking questions and having a different opinion.  I have certainly done some unfriending myself, but hopefully not simply because someone thinks differently than myself. 

We also have dating apps.  On these apps, people try to find someone exactly like themselves.  If someone has the same interests, likes to go to the same places, and likes to do pretty much the same things, then they’ve possibly found “the one.”  I’m not even saying this is a bad thing, but it certainly can be.  The Bible says a Christian should not be “unequally yoked with an unbeliever” (2 Corinthians 6:14).  Though I don’t think that verse is for marriage exclusively, it is certainly included.  I just think most people are looking to fulfil their own wants, needs, and desires instead of looking to really pour into someone else’s life.  “You complete me” is the worst line that has ever come out of Hollywood.   That is an awful lot of pressure to put on someone. 

What is the point?  I have really been trying lately to pour into people’s lives.  It has been messy, it has been costly, and it really is draining mentally, spiritually, and physically.  But you know what?  I also find that I’m just as drained when I’m only focused on me and mine.  In fact, I’d say that the draining I feel when focused on others is a lot better than the draining I feel from being focused on myself.  When focused on myself, I try to solve so many of my own problems.  When focused on others, I generally have no idea how to help, so I take it to the Lord.  I’ve been in more prayer for others this last month than I probably have the other months of 2023 combined.  I say this to my shame, but I also say this because it is really nice to be out of selfie mode.

Think about this, when Eve is tempted by Satan in the garden (Genesis 3:5), he does not ask her to focus on the worship of himself.  He simply asks her to worship herself.  “You will be like God,” “Your eyes will be open.”  Friend, we are already like God, for we were created in His image (Genesis 1:27).  It is just so easy to forget, and maybe even easier to simply not believe, for we live in a world that constantly wants to criticize and tear down.  

What is the answer?  The answer is to look at something greater than ourselves.  First, we stare at God.  Read Revelation 5.  Why does absolutely every single being in heaven constantly lavish praise on God?  They can’t tell Him enough how holy He is.  They are in awe!  Yet, here on Earth there are so few who even think about Him.  Even among church people, they don’t give Him much consideration outside their own church services.  

I’m not saying I’m good at this myself . . . but I want to be.

Lord, there is no one like You!  I love staring at You this morning.  I love being out of selfie mode.  Yet, I know that within a couple of hours, I’ll be about the normal routine of life.  I hate how quickly I can let you slip from my mind.  I hate how quickly I can go into selfie mode.  Help me to stay focused on You.  Let my eyes be Your eyes, my hands be Your hands, and my feet be Your feet.  Help me remain focused on the needs of others and not just my own needs.  I’ve felt so much better considering the needs of others greater than my own.  I’ve even felt closer to You.  I’m more aware than ever just how little time I have left on this planet.  Months seem to go by so quickly.  Fill me Lord with the Holy Spirit that I might honor You for the rest of my life.  Amen!

Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant. – Matthew 20:26

Our little church in Salem has taught me so much since our first service on January 1.  Notice that word . . . service.  When we go to restaurants, we want good service.  When the pastor preaches well and the worship team plays well, we say, “That was a great service!”  I’ve noticed that sometimes I leave church on a seriously spiritual high and feel so good about it.

This past week was just like that . . . I thought, “this was a really good service.”  Then, I talked to some of my flock.  They had really been going through a tough spell the past couple of weeks.  Sure, I messaged them, and even called once or twice . . . but I wasn’t there for them.  I certainly in no sense of the word served them.  For seven months now, I’ve been providing a service, but I haven’t been serving.

Even with these WMD’s . . . what am I doing?  I’m basically providing a service.  I like to think I’m doing it for others, but I feel like writing these things for the past decade or so has really helped keep me grounded.  It is like a weekly checkup on my soul where I just do an honest assessment of where I stack up as a follower of Jesus, who I say is my Savior and my Lord.  I tend to really enjoy that savior part, but not so much the Lord part.  For the most part, Adam does what Adam wants to do.  If I had to grade myself, I give myself a B for providing service, but I fail at being a servant.  It is so easy to look the part once a week for an hour or two at church, but am I being the church?

I’m not looking for comments that tell me I’m being too hard on myself.  I’m just saying that we all need to give a long think session into what it looks like to serve others.  According to the verse I used, it is the ticket to becoming great.  I want to get this right starting now.  I love providing service for the Lord at work, “whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord!” (Colossians 3:23).  I love providing church services, “Serve the Lord with gladness, come before His presence with singing.”  (Psalm 100:2).  

I’m just painfully aware that when I’m done providing service, I don’t really serve.

Lord, with how much ever time I’ve got left, I want to spend the rest of my days serving.  Instead of sending a quick text message, I want to go sit with them, read the word, and pray out loud.  I generally don’t do it.  The only excuse that I have is that I’m spending my time doing completely useless things with zero eternal value.  I love staying full of You!  I love spiritual highs when You are just all over me, but it is past time to change my focus and pour out some overflow into empty hearts . . . of which there is no shortage.  Help me get this right, Lord.  I love You!  Amen!

But he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved. – Matthew 24:13

Very recently, like within the last year, I’ve seen a lot of who I thought were Godly people reject the Lord.  If they don’t flat out reject Him, then they teach acceptance of sins that are clearly defined in scripture as sin.  Don’t get me wrong, there are scriptures that my flesh doesn’t like, but if I ever got on here and said a certain sin was ok to commit, God was okay with it, and you’ll ultimately be alright if you continue in it . . . you should stop listening to me.  Even when I struggle with a particular sin, I at the very least acknowledge it as sin.

There are three components that seem to be a common thread with those who fall away and do not endure to the end.  One, there is this inability to see this life as brief.  James 4:14 says our life is a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.  Yet, many who claim to be Christians want their good things in life now.  There is not much thought of storing up our treasures in heaven where nothing can destroy them.  Two, there seems to be a genuine belief that God owes them something.  They “believed” in Him, their lives didn’t change for the better, someone still died anyway, the parents divorced anyway, the marriage was still terrible, and God basically didn’t come through for them like they thought He would.  Lastly, they put their faith in people who claimed to be of God instead of God Himself.  When the people let them down, they equated that with God letting them down.  Therefore, they fell away.

The opposite is true for those who endure to the end.

1.  This life is a vapor!  I’ve been alive for 48 years and they have felt like nothing.  I can’t believe August is about to wrap up and Fall is around the corner.  If I make it to average life expectancy, and there is no guarantee of this, then I have about 29 years, or 116 changes of season left to see in my lifetime.  I would be an absolute fool to spend the rest of my life making this life as comfortable as possible.

• God is sovereign, the supreme ruler of all.  He knows the end from the beginning.  He is the author and finisher of our salvation.  He knows all that we need to go through to be molded into His image.  He has taken me through some painful things that I thought were completely unfair at the time.  But looking back, ALL of it has worked for my good.  I can look back and be thankful for the worst stuff that has happened to me.  There is no way that I’m going to walk away from Him because He allows or doesn’t allow something I didn’t think He should.  He is God and I am not.  My complete trust is in Him.

• Just because God’s people can be terrible, it does not mean He is terrible.  People that I came to know and love, who I thought had my back, who claimed to be followers of Jesus have left me absolutely decimated.  Not once did I think to reject God, nor do I think they aren’t Christians.  If you put your trust in me, then eventually I will let you down.  Your trust should never be in me to begin with.  Place your trust in Jesus . . . He will never let you down.  Even if you feel let down, He is working all things for the good.

All things don’t work out for the good for all people.  All things work for the good if and only if you love God and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28)

Lord, it is so hard for people to see this life as short.  Help us to get it.  Help us who claim to be your followers to be the real deal.  Help us so shine our lights before men that our good deeds are seen, and You are glorified.  Give us clean hands, give us pure hearts, and let us never lift our souls to another.  You are the greatest thing life offers and I’m so sorry for ever treating You otherwise.  Send true revival to this land, Jesus!

Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. – Acts 2:44-45

I have always wondered how cool it would be to see a truly united church.  I’ve seen a handful of united congregations do some pretty great things, but only within the context of their own church name.  I’ve never seen, at least with my own eyes, people in one church come together to help people in other churches.  If we all lived like these two verses, we would see it often, and the lost people on the outside looking in would be amazed.

Once, I “borrowed” a musician from another church.  He wasn’t playing that Sunday, so he was more than willing.  Everything worked out great . . . or so I thought.  I quickly got a call that evening letting me know that I needed to find my own musicians and leave theirs alone.  My only thought was that I wouldn’t mind if they used our church’s musicians . . . I didn’t think they’d mind if I used theirs.  I was wrong.

This week, I saw a newly transformed believer in great need.  It was a financial need that I couldn’t meet on my own, or I would have.  I made an inquiry on their behalf.  I saw people who represented several different church congregations come together and meet the need.  Immediately, I thought of Acts 2 when this used to happen often.  I’ve been injected with the thought that this could be the start of something amazing within the church as a whole.

What would it look like if all the church congregations in Oconee County were truly one?  No selfish motivations.  No building up of just our own church name.  I really want to see it before the Lord comes back.

I think He does too.

Lord, I’ve never been injected with more hope because of what I just saw.  Help us, Your people, to truly become united as one.  How can we treat others like we’d want to be treated if we can’t even do it cross denominationally?  My prayer is for an answer to Your prayer in John 17:21:  that they may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.  Amen!

The Belt of Truth

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist.  – Ephesians 6:14

I read this book by Rebecca Brown called, “He came to set the captives free.”  It is free on YouTube if you want to listen to it.  I would warn you though, it is quite difficult to listen to . . . the evil that her friend, Elaine, got into and came out of, runs deeper than any of us could imagine.  The Bible calls Satan the “prince of the power of the air,” (Ephesians 2:2) and the “god of this age.” (2 Corinthians 4:4).  

Now, I don’t like giving the devil too much credit because of his defeated status.  However, after reading the book, I don’t believe I’ve been giving him enough credit.  I believe the devil wants you to think he is either in everything, or he is in nothing . . . he doesn’t care either way.  Satan is not God’s opposite; at best he is an angel’s opposite like Gabriel or Michael.  Satan was a created being just like the rest of us.  He has zero power to create.  Unfortunately, he can take God’s creation and corrupt it . . . and he does.

For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been praying the armor of God on my life.  In the book, Elaine discovered this armor for the first time.  She asked God, “How often should I put this on?”  She felt the Spirit say, “Once every 24 hours should be sufficient.”  It got me seriously thinking about how many days I walk in this world without this spiritual armor.  No wonder I’ve come home so pummeled so often.  

The first thing I pray is, “Lord, I put on the belt of truth . . . Your Word is truth!”  At the foundation of it all, I believe that the Bible is the Word of the Lord.  It shows me how to live, not by feelings, but by what it says.  Christians are leaving the faith in droves because they don’t like what the Bible says.  I can at least respect that, but I can’t respect changing or ignoring what the Bible says and still calling yourself a Christian.

Don’t get me wrong, I sin more often than I’d like to admit.  When I do, I don’t simply think, “Well God just needs to forgive this sin for the rest of my life because He made me, and therefore made me to enjoy this sin, it is really His fault for making me this way.”  I hated giving up my lying . . . for the longest time, I didn’t have anything to add to a conversation.  I hated giving up my sexual immorality, my girlfriend at the time dumped me for bringing up the conversation that God wasn’t pleased with our behavior.  I hated giving up pornographic materials . . . I got rid of them all.  But even now, do you think that stuff doesn’t show up in unsuspecting (and not so unsuspecting) places and try to lure me back?  The belt of truth shows me the hook that is attached. 

When I have the belt of truth around the core of my body, I recognize sin for what it is and I flee, or at the very least ask God to help me stand my ground for Him.  Even though I hated giving up my sin at the time, I could not be more grateful to God as I sit here this morning.  He loved me too much to let sin devour me.

Lord, it is so easy to get comfortable in this life.  There is so much sin willing to occupy our time and numb our spirits.  If we don’t know Your Word, we can’t rightly divide right and wrong.  Thank You for helping me read through Your Word many times.  Thank You for leading me, guiding me, and protecting me like You have.  Please help me stay on the narrow path.  May I not turn to the left or to the right.  Amen.