Submission

When my boys were really young, I loved picking them up and throwing them in the air (and catching them, of course)! And then, as they got older, we moved to wrestling and they always knew who was boss. It was always fun to be able to make them submit to my strength. They are bigger now and it’s not as easy to make them “cry uncle”. To tell the truth, but please don’t tell them, in a few short years they may be able to make me submit in a one on one match.

Submission comes as a result of many things, including, but not limited to; physical strength or size, financial position, fear, sheer numbers and respect.

Many times when someone hears the word submission, it puts a negative connotation in their mind. However, submission is not always negative. When Scripture tells a wife to be submissive to her husband (Colossians 3:18-19), that is not negative, rather, it is to honor the Lord by submitting to her husband’s leadership which is also to be in submission to the Lord. Not a doormat, rather a partner submitting to a role that God will bless and honor when done so in His name.

One of the most vivid examples of submission that I can think of is found in Philippians 2:10-11, “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Here we have, although not stated, two groups of people. They are mentioned in one group, but “Every knee should bow” will include those who willingly bow and those who are forced to. Those who have lived in rebellion and have no regard for God will either fall to their knees or will be brought to their knees by a Holy God. However, those who have already submitted their hearts and lives to God through obedience will not find it difficult to submit at all. When the redeemed hear the Name of Jesus, out of love, proper fear, honor, respect, awe and wonder they, we, will fall to our knees in humility.

The question is, which one will you be? The answer lies in which group you find yourself in today. God is inviting you right now to submit to Him as Lord and King and Savior of your life. Have you done so? If not He is inviting you to. If you have, take a moment today and give thanks and shout out before the end of time, that “Jesus Christ is lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Amen…

God Is Seldom Early But He's Never Late!

Stories have been told that prisoner’s who hold onto hope of one day being set free during their imprisonment do far better and live in a much better mental and physical state than those who have given up and lost all hope. The same stands true for those outside of actual physical prison walls, but find themselves in a world of heartache, pain and suffering. God’s Word encourages us to hold on to, not hope alone, but rather hope that is anchored by the character of Almighty God Himself.

One of the reasons, (there are many), that God can be trusted is because He has yet to fail; and He never will. Now, you may say, “well, He’s let me down before.” Many have felt that way, but it’s not because God has failed, rather, He may have “failed” to meet your expectations of what He would do. But, the Bible puts things in perspective when it says in Isaiah 55:9, "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

God does not tell us to, nor expect us to understand everything. He does, however, tell us to live lives of faith and patience holding onto the promises that He has made. God never changes and God cannot lie so what He has promised He will do and what He does will stand firm and eternal because of who He is. Who He is along with all He’s done becomes an anchor for our faith to hold on to.

In the midst of the storms of this life the lyrics to the chorus of this song by Steve Adams give us a picture of God’s amazing peace and hope in the midst of the storms in our lives.

“There is peace in the midst of my storm-tossed life
Oh, there's an anchor, there's a rock to cast my faith upon.
Jesus rides in my vessel, so I'll fear no alarm
He gives me peace in the midst of my storm.”
Steve Adams Copyright 1978 Pilot music (ASCAP)

That peace is on a spiritual level is like a child who cannot swim, who’s father encourages him to jump off of the diving board into the deep end of the pool into his father’s arms…He’s asking you to leap into His arms today…He can be trusted. He does not lie and He does not change. Millions of your “brothers and sisters” throughout history have jumped in and He’s hasn’t dropped one…and you won’t be the first.

Surviving The Heart

The past couple of weeks have reminded me of the summer of 1998 when I experienced one of the hottest times in my life. Remember? We had a stretch of 46 days where the temperature was over 100 degrees with not a drop of rain. My front lawn looked like hay, and there seemed to be no relief from the heat. Cars were overheating everywhere; air conditioners were working overtime, but never really cooled things off. And to make matters worse, our stress levels rose as we wrote the checks to pay those huge electric bills.

In Texas, you have to be creative in finding relief from the heat. However, all of us would like to find relief from another kind of heat, the heat that comes from the pain and struggles of life. Those are the kind of hurts that plague us so deeply that we have difficulty finding relief. Many days is seems as if there are no ‘air conditioners’ large enough to cool your hurting, bleeding soul.

You are not here today by accident. One of the reasons God brought you here is for you to find rest and peace for your soul. We are gathered here to worship, to bring our praise and worship to God for who He is and all that He has done. As we do that, in His loving grace He provides for us a deeper understanding of who He is and all that He has to offer us. As we praise Him for His goodness, faithfulness, kindness, mercy, healing, forgiveness, and as we listen to others around us do the same, His Holy Spirit reveals and reminds us that there is no mistake He cannot correct. There is no sin that He cannot forgive. There is no wound that He cannot heal. There is no relationship that He cannot mend. There is no future where He is not already there. There is no burden which He cannot bear. There is no question that He cannot answer. There is no fear for which He cannot give comfort. There is no need for which He cannot provide. And most of all that He is here, in our midst, right here, right now. You were led here today by the Holy Spirit of God for a Divine Appointment with the God of the Universe, the Lord of All Creation.

As you are reading this, the Lord Jesus is right by your side, willing, ready and able to meet your every need and to provide your deepest hearts’ desire. Take a moment this morning before we begin and give Him praise. Bring your torch and lay it next to mine and let’s build a “Bond-fire” of worship this morning and bless His heart with our worship, because He is worthy.

And don’t hold back….Jesus was not ashamed to express His love for you in front of others. Let’s work towards having a lifestyle of worship that is extravagant. He’s worth it.

With you on the journey, MJ

I'm Free

In September of 1862, President Lincoln declared what is known as the Emancipation Proclamation which, effective January 1, 1863, freed all slaves in all territories still at war with the union. This was the law that abolished the legal practice of slavery in our country. A day that forever changed the course of America. However, in some of the southwestern states this upset many slave owners; because this would mean that they would lose many workers and thus lose much money. So, in order to stop this they kept this news of freedom from their slaves. Therefore, even though these slaves were set free, they were still in bondage because they didn’t know of their new-found freedom.

However, on June 19^th of that same year, the word arrived to all of the slaves and they then declared that day their independence day. They called this day “Juneteenth”.

As I ponder on this piece of American history, I think about the similarities in the spiritual realm. How many of us live day by day, moment by moment in slavery to our sin? Evil habits and lifestyles that have gripped us for years loom over you like a dark storm cloud with no relief in sight. As far as you are concerned, this life of failure and despair, guilt and depression is your destiny, with no way out.

My friend, listen no longer to your “old master!” He wants you to think that you are still his slave and under his control, when in reality you have been set free, you chains have been broken and you have a new name.

Jesus and His Father, with the sustaining power of His Spirit have emancipated you. You are freed from the power and penalty of sin’s chains on your life. Live, walk, and experience that freedom today. This Independence Day weekend as you praise God for the freedom we live, walk in and experience in our country, thank Him also for setting you free to experience all His is and all that He has for you, in this life and the next! Remember, just as the USA has her Lady Liberty as a symbol of freedom, we, as Christians have the symbol of the cross as our Statue of Liberty!

We are so blessed to live in America and enjoy its freedoms, but to be a Christian in America, we are doubly blessed! Give the Lord double praise and honor today, for He is indeed worthy. Happy Independence day!