The answer is to cry out

I'm reading the book of Joel and Joel is explaing how bad things of gotten in the southern kingdom of Judah. They were dealing with locusts upon locusts upon locusts. Then dealing with a drought and becuase of the drought they were dealing with forest fires destroying everything. Although this may or may not compare with what is going on in our country right now. The answer to thier plages and destruction is the same answer we have today. It's a difficult answer but it is very simple. It's not politics. It's not masks. It's not social distancing. It's not having or not having statues. It's not even electing the right president or politicians.

It's crying out to God even if you don't believe in Him. He will still answer even if you don't think He is there. Let's cry out to Him now!

Priceless

The cost of a Christian T-shirt… $14.00. The cost of a leather-bound bible… $52.00. The cost of a beautiful cross to hang on your wall… $65.00. The cost of the ability to talk to God whenever you like… PRICELESS!

God’s one and only son, Jesus, came to this world to be a sacrifice.  But not just any sacrifice. A sacrifice for sin. But not just any sin. A sacrifice for every single sin you have ever committed and for every sin that you will ever commit in the future. That is why He is referred to as the sacrificial Lamb of God  (John 1:29b “…The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”) Jesus was able to be this sacrifice because He was perfect without any flaw whatsoever and not only that but He was fully human. His purpose was to fulfill God’s plan which was to willfully lay down His life for you. Even though that sounds profound and amazing, we have no idea how much it costs God to give Him up like that. It is a concept that is beyond our ability to comprehend. It truly is priceless!

 I heard a quote recently that the value something is worth is determined by what someone is willing to pay for it.

 You see, God considers you to be priceless! Jesus paid that price! The fellowship and relationship that Jesus had with the Father was something extremely extraordinary. Something truly awesome and pure and holy. Something we don’t even really understand fully. But it was something that God considered to be very valuable. The relationship between the Father and His son Jesus was unbreakable. No force could ever separate it… except, dare I say sin.

To really even get a small glimpse of what it cost God, you have to understand what really went on during the sacrifice of Jesus that was made on that cross at Calvary.

You see, it was sin that separated The Father and the Son. As Jesus was being crucified on the cross, and being that sacrifice for your sins, He took all the sins of every person that had eve lived and ever will live and all of their past and future sins on Himself. So much so that the bible said He BECAME sin ( 2 Corinthians 5:21… “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”). When Jesus became sin, that separated Him from His Father who He had such love for (Matthew 27:46b “…Jesus cried out with a loud voice saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”).

 See how powerful and filthy sin is? God couldn’t even look at Jesus as He became sin because He became something so filthy and disgusting and wretched that it would have sent us to hell forever separated from God. And Jesus took that on Himself willing to be separated from the Father for you! That my friend is priceless!!!

- Doug McGowan

Stop trying!

Today’s scripture:

“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever- the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:16-18)

Do you ever wonder why you keep falling? Why you keep giving over to that same old sin over and over and over? Why is it the more you try, the harder it seems to not give over to sin? Well, the obvious answer to that question is simple. You are trying to do it in your own strength. Yes, I know that is a fundamental answer to a typical question in the pursuit of living for Jesus, but the purpose of this devotion is to dive in deep to the core of surrender and pleasing our Father in heaven.

See, many people, and I include myself, tend to think that we need to please God. People have the mindset that we shouldn’t think this way or that way or that will lead us to sin. But it is true. We do need to please God and we do need to watch what we participate in that it will not lead us astray. But, I think the problem is how we go about it… We try and fall, we try and fall, we try and try and TRY!

May I say something that may be contrary to how people think? STOP TRYING!  Stop TRYING to please God that way! Stop trying to not sin. Yep, you heard me right. What??? How can this be God’s will? You were never meant to try and not sin. And believe it or not you were never meant to fundamentally surrender and give it to God. At least not that it would end there.

Dear saints, please understand we tend to think in a way that can be very shallow. Very into ourselves even when we are thinking we are trying to please God. If it were to stop there, the Lord Jesus would be greatly saddened and His heart would ache. See, Jesus longs for a closeness with you. What Jesus really wants from you is YOU. He longs for you. Stop trying to not do certain things and just spend time with Him. And you know what? As you do, your spirit dwells with His spirit and that’s where you are united with Him becoming one. And as you dwell with Him, all that stuff about trying to not sin will fall into place naturally! It’s in possible to dwell in His presence and sin at the same time.

This does not mean you have to stop whatever you’re doing and fall prostrate at His feet. There is a time and place for that but I believe we don’t come to Him sometimes because we feel we have to give up so much of our time. Remember, God knows you have work and chores at home and you have kids and have to prepare dinner. He knows all that. He wants to be invited into all of that while you do it thanking Him, praising Him, talking to Him like He is your earthly loving parent and friend. If you could just see beyond your eyes which are so blind to the spiritual world, you would see Him reaching out to you with arms and hands wide open pleading and saying with an almost weeping face “won’t you please spend time with Me? I want to give you so much more. I want to bless you with My peace, My joy and My strength but I can’t do that unless you let our spirit become one”.

Dear beloved, once you start spending time with Jesus by just thinking of Him and thanking Him continually, and even singing to Him, treating Him as if He were in the room with you trying to talk to you. Once you start that, stay there! Don’t leave! You may think this is impossible but you would be wrong according to 1 Thessalonians 5:16-19. God would not give us a command without giving us the power to live it out. It is possible to stay in His presence and never leave, in fact it’s a command. And as you practice this and fail miserably, keep pressing in when you realize you’ve been away from Him for some time and it will get easier and easier to where you will be in His presence more often than not being there. Then you come to a point that it’s easier to be with Him than not and you will realize all of your fleshly desires have weakened to the point of non-existence!

Reflection:

My lovely wife says, “Changing the way you think will change the way you act” (2 Corinthians 10:5). If we are to have victory in Jesus, we will need to be in His presence and staying there. There was a time recently that I thought I would always struggle with sin and that even though God calls us to a life of always pressing into Him, it still seemed unattainable in this life. But Jesus wants you to experience the fullness of Himself and we cannot have that if we are only giving Him a little bit of ourselves because then we will only get a little bit of Him.

Challenge:

I challenge you dear friends to set your mind on things above (Colossians 3:2, Romans 8:5). Start practicing the presence of God, and as you take tiny steps towards that He meets us the rest of the way. Just as a person trains his body to build muscle, lifting weights and getting better at it each day until he achieves the muscle mass he wants, you need to train your spirit to practice dwelling with Jesus every day even after you fail and you will get better at it then sin will start to weaken.

-Doug McGowan

Therefore, be perfect…

Today’s scripture:

“Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48)

“But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

(James 1:4)

Pastor Mike, I fell again last night going back into sin. I just can’t seem to do what’s right and stay right with God. I want to be pleasing to Him but when my flesh is faced with such strong temptation, I just give into my sin over and over! I pray and quote scripture just like Jesus did in the wilderness when He was tempted by satan but I still give in from time to time. Jimmy, don’t be too hard on yourself son. You’re only human. God doesn’t expect you to be perfect. Besides, we can’t expect to live like He lived because He is GOD! He just did those things to show us as an example on how to live.

How often have you heard this kind of conversation? Maybe you have said this as a confession yourself. Maybe you have even given this type of council when someone has confessed to you. I know that I have been there on both sides of confessing as well as giving this kind of council.

Now, what I’m going to say next is going to rub some people if not most people the wrong way. Some may question me and say that I’m wrong. In fact, what I’m going to say goes against a lot of church teachings and church council. Just look at what scripture says, I mean an honest, hard and deep look at it.

This type of council is not only wrong but it leads people down a path of never really living up to the potential God has for them. It also, leads people to look at Jesus as someone who is unapproachable not able to totally relate to. God does not and never will call us into something without doing it Himself and without equipping us fully to step into that which He has called us. “By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life”(2 Peter 1:3).

Now please understand saints, this is not done by our own power at all. It can’t! Apart from Jesus, we are as wretched and filthy as they come. It’s not us at all, Its Him! When our spirit dwells and is intertwined with His spirit we become one with Him and He lives through us. Jesus is perfect just as the Father is perfect. This is not a “What would Jesus do” (WWJD) mentality. All though it is a good question to ask yourself, it is not what our relationship with Jesus is based on. Our relationship goes much, much deeper. We become one with Him and it’s Him living a perfect life through us! We don’t have to ask “what would Jesus do” when we are living a life totally in complete submission to Him.

Remember, Jesus gave up all His power when He became a human man (Philippians 2:7). He did that so that He had to totally rely on God the Father. He was without sin and did many miracles only because He was constantly getting alone with the Father and allowing the Father to live through Him. Without giving up His power, the cross would have been in vain. He had to go through His whole life being one with the Father just as we are to be one with Jesus.

Now, does that mean if we continue to fall over and over that Jesus will write us off? Of course not! One of His strongest messages is forgiveness. But true repentance will lead you closer and closer to the likeness of Jesus. Not just likeness of Jesus as if to say we are like Him but again, look at scripture… We are to be one with Him and Him with us! WE BECOME ONE!!!

Reflection:

I’ll be the first to admit that sometimes I look at scripture and not truly take it in for what it really is saying especially if it’s a hard and difficult one to accept. Like this verse in Matthew…”Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect”. Really? I’m called and expected to be perfect like God? YES! Because if not then that would deny what Jesus has said in this verse and in James 1:4 among many others. Again, it’s not impossible when you consider that when you are totally surrendering your everything to Him then you are allowing the Holy Spirit to take over.

Challenge:

Ask the Lord to give you wisdom about these matters and really consider in your heart what the Word of God is really saying and don’t pass it off just because it sounds impossible. But in Matthew 19:26 Jesus says “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible”. Right now take time and take notice your thoughts. Is there any lust, fear, pride, arrogance, selfishness or anything sinful in your thoughts? If so, consider how to give up those thoughts of your own and let Jesus live through you with love, humility, meekness, gentleness and confidence in the power of God the Father.

-Doug McGowan

No more strife! Only mercy!

Today’s scripture:

A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor. (Proverbs 29:23)

Have you ever told yourself, “I would never get like that” or “I would never do or say that”?

Being a truck driver can be extremely challenging to the values of morality and damaging to your integrity if you let the negative atmosphere effect you. There are countless situations that you can encounter while on the road that are influenced by anger, resentment, lust, envy, strife, backbiting and gossip. Not a day goes by that the CB radio is free of some driver getting so angry at another driver that causes a fight and terrible strife. Everyone is out for themselves and hardly anyone is willing to encourage or lend a hand to someone else. Even as I sit here in my truck writing this, there is a lot of arguing on the radio.

Just the other day, I was listening to a driver rip another driver to shreds (verbally) because he wouldn’t turn off his headlights while backing up into a parking spot in a truck stop (because headlights shine directly into the truck in front of you and that person may be trying to sleep, or blinding another as he is trying to park). He said he would do what they used to do in the old days which is take a hammer to the headlights which would teach a lesson to the driver.

Which leads me back to my first question… Have you ever told yourself, “I would never get like that” or “I would never do or say that”? I have to admit, a year ago in the beginning of driving a semi-truck and interacting with all the other truck drivers, I vowed I would never get like that. I wouldn’t say that but I believed it in my heart.  Can you imagine the arrogance of that statement? I actually believed I was beyond acting so low. I have a pride that is so arrogate that I actually believe I am incapable of having a bad attitude towards another human being. That I have been changed by God so much that my heart, no matter the situation, would have only meekness to give. That, my friend is one form of pride!

Today, I had encounter with another driver that left me very convicted about what and who I had become. This driver did make a mistake and got mad at me when I wouldn’t get out of his way while trying to correct his mistake. Instead of showing meekness, I was stubborn and refused to give him space just because it would cost me a few minutes of my precious drive time. It’s a dog eat dog world out here and nobody is looking out for me so I am going to look out for myself. That had become my attitude.

See, what I had failed to remember is, as long as I am being humble and kind to others, God is looking out for me. His heart and passion is about relationships and helping those who have needs. It may be small to me but it is a huge deal to God if I were to just quietly wait for this guy to correct his mistake and maybe even get out of my truck and offer help and then go about my day.

It’s so easy to get caught up in this busy life and rough world, we can forget what it’s all about. It’s all about Jesus and loving Him through our love and relationships with our neighbors (Matthew 22:37-39)

Reflection:

Rather you are a truck driver, baker, engineer, janitor, physician or whatever your profession, try not to let the severe negative comments get to you. And if you have given into strife, gossip, anger or any other sins, simply confess them to God and return back to His ways of meekness, mercy and forgiveness. You don’t have to listen to that lie from the devil…”you have already messed up, might as well finish the day off with it. Besides God isn’t interested in you coming to Him now that you have messed up” that is a lie from the pit of hell! Don’t stay there!

Challenge:

I’m sure there will be something said or done today that will cross your will and cause you to consider lashing out even if it is done in your mind. See this as a golden opportunity to let mercy and meekness shine bright and be for certain that will bless that person and according to today’s scripture Proverbs 29:23, God will honor you!

-Doug McGowan

Ransomed from Death

Today’s scriptures:

“We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.” (Isaiah 64:6)

“He gave His life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.” (1 Timothy 2:6)

“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)

From the very early years of Tony’s life, he had many trials and challenges. Tony grew up in a home filled with all kinds of evil… violence, abuse, drugs and alcohol among many other things. He lived in this environment because his parents created that environment. Tony believed this was the way his life was to be. He hadn’t ever experienced true love and acceptance.

By the time Tony was 13, he had helped his brothers steel cars, deal crack, and even became involved in a gang. Then when he turned 16 he had taken some elderly woman and her 8 year old granddaughter’s life for the BMW she had in her garage. Even though Tony grew up with this lifestyle all around him, he knew his life was completely unmanageable and out of control. Of course he would not admit that to anyone so he could maintain is “cool” and “got it together” demeanor, but he knew it was true!

Tony was caught, arrested and put on trial. He was tried as an adult and was facing life in prison. Then, this man walks into the court room and says “I want to represent this man as my client”. Although this was not protocol, the judge allowed it. Tony was shaking inside knowing his life up to this point was a complete ruin and a disaster, but still trying to maintain his outward appearance of being so called “tough”.

Tony could not believe what he heard coming out of the mouth of his new found lawyer… “I want to take this young man as my own, and being that he is only 16, he needs to be mentored and discipled rather than a cell to rot in for the rest of his life.” Now, Tony had seen it all and heard it all. Who does this??? Who walks into a court room and says I want to take this killer home with me to live so I can teach him life? Let alone, what judge would allow it? As soon as Tony thought this with his mouth wide open in amazement and disbelief, the judge granted him that request with very strict probation of course.

After a few years of intense and extreme sacrificial love, mercy and forgiveness on the lawyers part as well as on Tony’s, he had a new life (Psalm 51:7)! He was working for his lawyer’s friend restoring cars in a body shop in town and he met with the family of the two people he had killed, pleading with their forgiveness. Amazingly all charges dropped and off his record as if to say, ‘this man was never a thief, drug dealer or killer.’

I wonder how many of us can relate to Tony. Yes, this story is amazing and seemingly untrue! But there is a story that diminishes Tony’s life in a huge way! There is this unbelievable story of someone who created a crime so horrible the judge had sentenced them to a place far off from any civilization to be tortured and tormented with fire and extreme malicious brutality for the rest of their life never seeing any of their loved ones ever again…. FOR EVER!!! You are that someone who has been sentenced to that place of torment! You are that unbelievable story of inexplicable crimes that you have committed!

Would you believe we all could relate if we really stop to meditate on the price Jesus had to pay for our freedom and a new life? You see, Jesus is our “new found lawyer” and God the Father is that judge accepting Jesus’ plea of taking us in as His own. Jesus has spent an extreme amount of sacrificial love and mercy and forgiveness on us so that we can have new life with Him! Not only has Jesus given us that mercy and forgiveness, He extends that every day!

Some of us may not be able to relate to Tony. Those of us who cannot, may not realize how wicked and demonic our sins really are. If we are to TRULY humble or ourselves we will put Jesus and ourselves in our rightful place knowing that He is our needed savior!

Reflection:

The reason why it is hard to look at ourselves as great sinners deserving of eternal punishment is we compare ourselves by other sinners deserving death. We fail to compare ourselves to a holy and righteous God. This is the point where we need to throw up our hands and say, “Lord, your right! Even though I’m not fully there of 100% totally believing what Your Word says about how wicked I am, I do want to believe it. Help my unbelief.”

Challenge:

Ask the Lord Jesus to help you believe and accept His daily forgiveness and mercy. We don’t have to do anything to receive it. It’s there as a gift to us if we realize how desperately we need it.

-Doug McGowan

The Craftiness of Evil

Today’s scripture:

“For she has cast down many wounded, And all who were slain by her were strong men. Her house is the way to hell, descending to the chambers of death.” (Proverbs 7:26,27)

“Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks, Till an arrow struck his liver. As a bird hastens to the snare, he did not know it would cost his life.” (Proverbs 7:22,23)

Just like many scriptures in God’s Word, these are very sobering and frightening verses… BUT VERY TRUE! All too often I overlook the importance of the Lord’s guidance and discount the severity if I choose not to walk in His way, even for a quick moment. Please understand, the severity I’m speaking about isn’t so much God’s correction or discipline. It’s just what happens when we choose a different path that is not safe. See, God’s ways and His commandments are safe.  They are boundaries to keep us from harm, from the one who rules this earth as well as from our own nature of pleasuring self. If you choose to cross over the double yellow line on the freeway, you will die! If you choose to step in the line of fire, you will get shot! If you choose to play with fire, you will get burned! And, if you choose to follow the seducing words of evil, you will be destroyed with shame, guilt, despair and even sickness or death!

…It’s just what happens when we choose to be unsafe.

Some may read this and say quietly to themselves, this is for those who have totally lost control of themselves and have given over to whatever evil comes their way. People like thieves, murderers, rapists, child molesters or that one who is considered to be a sex craved maniac willing to be with anyone no matter what the cost.

Oh, dear ones, please do not fool yourselves!!! This is for ANYONE and EVERYONE! Anyone can be deceived. Remember, it is in our nature to serve self. To take pleasure of what feels good to our flesh. This is even for the one who is desiring God and seeks Him daily. He too can and will be deceived.

I have recently taken on a new kind of lifestyle to provide for my family. It is something both my wife and I know this is what God has called me to do. I am now driving a big rig across the country delivering loads to different companies. I am away from my loving family weeks at a time. Needless to say there are tons of temptation out here on the road for lonely men that are away from their loved ones. In my old life before being born again to Jesus Christ, I lived a double life of serving myself always without regard of anyone or anything, even the ones I loved the most. I was willing to give into any kind of seduction that would make me feel good. I would even ask satan to give me things I wanted because I knew God wouldn’t.

A couple of weeks ago, I pulled into this truck stop to get some coffee in Kentucky outside of of Cincinnati, OH which was on my way to Michigan to deliver a load. As soon as I parked, this lady walks right up to the cab of my truck and climbs up with a map. She asked me to help her read the map being that I was a truck driver and looked at maps as part of my job. As she was pointing to the map, she very boldly physically advanced herself onto me. She used the map as a crafty way of getting close to me so that I wouldn’t be hesitant. Without any details, I had a very quick decision to make. Now at this point I had been away from home almost a month. I was missing my family and was feeling lonely. Satan knows just when to strike and how to strike, doesn’t he? I had just came off of a fast and seeking the Lord desperately two days before.

As she talked the Lord revealed to me the scriptures above but yet I was still very enticed to be ohnest. Her words were smooth as silk and inviting but the gracious and loving Lord Jesus reminded me what my life was like before when I gave into such temptation. I destroyed my marriage and relationships and mostly destroyed my desire for the Lord! I didn’t want that anymore. I told her I am married and she needs to leave and then I got out of there and started calling everyone I knew within the brotherhood of Jesus Christ.

It can happen to anyone at any time anywhere in any way. Please be aware of those tiny little steps that walks ever so slightly away from God. It usually doesn’t start out so bold, it usually and gradually starts with little and subtle things like a look or a thought. Do not be fooled! These are not little things because they will lure you away from a safe and loving God and onto a path that is DESIGNED to destroy you! It can and will destroy you!

Reflection:

The ways of God are safe. They can be difficult to follow even though they are so simple. Remember, they are difficult because we make them difficult due to our nature of always wanting to serve self. Never forget that! If you get only one thing from this reading, let it be this… Never, ever think you are strong enough or too close to God for something to lure you away. Remember, it starts out ever so slightly and subtle. The devil is very crafty and knows you are weak when you are left to yourself. He knows you like pleasure. Pleasure is not wrong as long as it is directed from our Lord Jesus.

Challenge:

Before you go any further today, be aware that there is one looking to devour you and rip you to shreds and he will use anything to get to you (1 Peter 5:8). Be mindful of what your next steps today will be. There is no in between, they will either be from the Lord or from the enemy. Press into the Lord pleading Him to keep you.

-Doug McGowan