Open Heart Surgery

February 15th, 2017
Scripture: Ezekiel 36:26 (NIV)

Open Heart Surgery

"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."

After the Fall of Jerusalem, the LORD assures hope for the People of Israel through the words of Ezekiel the prophet. The LORD speaks of a "spiritual operation" that He will preform as the chief surgeon. He will give His people a new heart and new spirit, replacing stone with flesh. The very core of their being will be changed from the inside-out.

  I've heard the expression used, "stone cold", as a way of saying that a person can be cruel beyond belief, or inhumane. I've also heard the phrase, "set in stone", as a way of expressing permanent action that cannot be undone. I think this is similar to the "heart of stone" that is lodged within the hearts of humanity. But I also believe that nothing or no one is beyond redemption.

God wants to give us new hearts of flesh; living tissue that matures, grows, and contains life. Just as Jesus said, "[Those who believe] have crossed over from death to life" (John 5:24). God also wants to put a new spirit inside of us: The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of His Son.

So next time you think you are too far gone, or that you won't be able to trust ever again, or you will never break the numbness you feel, just remember the Great Healer has an operating table waiting for you. All you have to do is ask God for the surgery and give Him permission to do it. It may take some time to replace that heart of stone, just like real heart surgeries take time, but the end result is always worth it!

"Lord Jesus, thank You that our hearts can be mended, repaired, and ultimately replaced and renewed. I give You full permission to work on my heart, so I can be filled with love and new life. In Your Holy Name, Amen."

Not Out of the Woods Yet

June 13 2016
Scripture: Isaiah 43:19 (ESV)

Not Out of the Woods Yet

"Behold I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert."

Here Isaiah is speaking the word of the Living God to the people of Israel. This people often remembered the Lord for the things He had done for them in the past. They remembered that God split the red sea, brought their fathers through the wilderness, and delivered them out of the hand of Egypt. But their problem was they believed that God only did stuff back then, and now His might is nowhere to be found. 

This is a hard thing for most believers, because we all face "the wilderness" in our journey of faith. We know that God is real, because He proved Himself in the past, but somehow our vision of Him seems to hide away in the thick of the woods. He doesn't seem to listen to us like He once did. Our perception changes and we believe that God was once real, but now those are just memories. 

But God has something different to say, "Behold I am doing something new." It springs up now whether you perceive it or not. He promises that He will provide a way in the wilderness, not necessarily "out" of the wilderness, and a quenching river in the desert. God isn't trapped in the past, but is on the move today. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). That same water-dividing God is bringing freedom and deliverance today to those who put their trust in Him.

"Lord Jesus, thank You for meeting me in the wilderness and providing a way through it. Thank You that You aren't done working through your people, and are still a miracle-working God today, who is doing a new thing in the 21st century. Amen."

(All photo rights reserved to Patrick Stanton, author of thenaturalshot.wordpress.com)

Limitless God

May 27 2016
Scripture: Isaiah 39:28 (ESV)

Limitless God

"Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary, His understanding is unsearchable."

Isaiah must have been sick of hearing the Israelites, who were God's chosen people, saying that their life was hidden from God. They must have felt like they slipped through the cracks and fallen out of God's graces. 

"God disregards us, He's too busy, He doesn't care for me anymore, He's abandoned us."

"Have you not known?"

"Of course we have."

"Have you not heard?"

"Of course we have heard."

"Then why do you forget that God is larger than life, a limitless God? He's never left you, for He is everlasting; He created all the little details that make you who you are, along with the furthest ends of all that has ever been created; He is not too weak to notice you, for He never tires; His understanding is so much bigger and fuller than we could ever comprehend. And the best part is, those who wait on the Lord shall be renewed and soar like eagles." (Isaiah 40:31)

I am convinced that what I believe about God determines how I view Him. Sometimes, I feel a lot like the Israelites. I get so wrapped up in me and my world that I begin to have tunnel vision, and my belief about who God is changed to be more like a genii in a bottle, than Almighty God. When I don't get what I want, then I become sour toward my view of God, and begin to buy the lie that He has let me fall through the cracks. 

But when I step back and observe who God really is, I see myself in light of His glory, and realize that He is worth waiting for. We were created not to be sour, but to soar with Him. But I must be willing to take the time to wait on God, and ask Him to renew my strength.

"Lord Jesus, You are truly amazing. No god is like You. Help me to view You as You really are. Please renew my strength each day, and let me soar with You forever. Amen."

Walk In It

May 17 2016
Scripture: Isaiah 30:21 (ESV)

Walk In It

"Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.'"

Personally for me this verse stuck out like stepping on a sharp jagged Lego piece barefoot in the middle of the night. I know the fact that I cannot change anything about my future by worrying and I'm better off trusting God with it, but it's still a struggle to practice daily. I am genuinely excited about the possibilities the future holds, but at the same time I am paralyzed by the unknown. 

As I was sitting down to breakfast this morning I continued my conversation with Isaiah, God's prophet, by reading his account written in the Old Testament. Normally in my Devotional Time, I like to preference the context of the passage, so that I don't take Scripture and form it into what I want it to say. Yet I do believe that this verse spoke to me about what is true when it comes to the future. 

Though Isaiah was speaking to those who lived in Zion, I believe that Christians today have an everlasting guide in the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is "the voice behind you" who guides us in the way to go. This was so encouraging to me, for I sometimes fear that I may mess up and take a wrong turn, but if I seek the Holy Spirit's leading, he will confirm the way and encourage me to "walk in it". 

"Lord Jesus, thank You for the comfort of Your Word that reminds me not to worry so much and to believe that You have counted all my days. Help me to listen carefully for Your Spirit's voice directing me. Give me ears to hear and eyes to see. Amen."

Why Revenge Doesn't Work

May 11 2016
Scripture: 2 Samuel 19:23 (ESV)

Why Revenge Doesn't Work

"And the king said to Shimei, 'You shall not die.' And the king gave him his oath."

After King David's mourning for the death of his son in the rebellion, he marched back to the "King's City" of Jerusalem. On the road he sees the familiar face of Shimei, who cursed him as a man of blood, throwing rocks at him and his men when they fled from the rebellion. This time, Shimei comes to the empowered king begging for mercy. David's men wanted to have this man killed for the disgrace he had shown the king. But David took the opportunity to prove Shimei wrong and spared his life. 

There always seems to be that one person that makes your blood curdle. That person that seems to hate you for no good reason. They may attack your character, or weaknesses, or leadership, and even kick you when you're down. Everything within you wants to show that person up, and let them feel the wrath of your vengeance. But "getting back at" or "getting even" with someone is nothing more than responding hatred with more hatred. The problem with revenge is that you become what that person was accusing you of being. If David killed Shimei would he have gotten what was coming to him? Yes, but then David would have become the man of blood, and proven Shimei to be right about him. 

But if you respond to hatred with love, you can change the way they think about you, and maybe they might even begin to like you. If you are a Christian, the world is going to hate you, Jesus promises that (Matt 10:22). But when you respond, not as the world does, with love, then the reason for hate disappears, and opinions change. So when you feel like taking revenge on someone, remember NOT to give them a reason to hate you, and they may change upon seeing what the real you looks like.

"Lord Jesus, thank You for the truth of Your word. Please help me to not respond with anger or vengeance, but with love and mercy. Let the way I live my life change the way people respond to me, and bring them closer to You. Amen."

The Heart of the Problem

May 4 2016
Scripture: Matthew 15:17-18 (ESV)

The Heart of the Problem

"Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person." 

The Pharisees had their priorities all mixed up. They made their faith into a checklist of tasks you have to do to be saved. One of those tasks was to ceremonially wash their hands... a lot. They had clean hands, 99.5% germ free, no doubt about it, but their hearts were a different story. They ridiculed Jesus for not making his disciples wash up before dinner one evening. He shocked them by his answer that the problem here wasn't in the rituals and procedures, but the condition of the heart. Its not about doing the right things, but becoming the right person. 

One can master the art of putting on a good front, completely hiding whatever heart issues lie inside. But there is no fooling God, for He sees right into the deepest depths of the heart and knows what true washing needs to take place. So it doesn't really matter how clean and neat your life looks on the outside, if your heart's not in it, it will show by how you react and treat other people.

The only ones who know if the heart is sick or not is yourself and God. Sometimes God uses others to point out growth areas that you are unaware of. But this is more than if you are dressing up for church on Sunday, or occasionally forgetting to pray before you start eating your meal. This is about if your heart is aching to be more like Jesus everyday. For when your heart is in the right place, your actions will follow suit. 

"Lord Jesus, thank You that You care more about my heart than how many time I wash my hands. Wash the deepest desires of my heart to become more like you. Don't let me become legalistic, but change my ways to reflect You more and more. Amen."

Shear-jashub

April 16 2016
Scripture: Isaiah 8:17-18 (ESV)

Shear-jashub

"I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in Him. Behold, I and my children whom the Lord has given me are signs and portents in Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion."

Isaiah and his sons must have felt very alone in their faith, for Israel had turned from the Lord and God Himself hid His face from those people. But what does Isaiah do? He holds on to his faith, "I will wait, I will hope." One of Isaiah's sons he named Shear-jashub, which means, "A remnant shall return." Many names given in the Old Testament were tied to a characteristic or purpose that person would display in his or her lifetime. Jacob means, "the deceiver", thus he later deceived his father, brother, and others in his life. Adam means, "Man", because he was the first of mankind. 

God planned to give Israel what they desired, independence from God, and in result they would be conquered and brought low, scattered, and only a remnant would remain. Isaiah used the word picture of a great oak tree, cut down and only a stump remaining. So will it be for the great nation of Israel, for they exchanged the true God for false ones, knowing full well the consequences. 

My grandfather, very much must have felt like Isaiah, within his family. The Wilson family just three generations ago had a reputation, but not a good one. They were bootleggers in the time of The Prohibition, and would use alcohol to enter into drunken rages, beating each other. During that time my grandfather when he was a boy found Jesus and dedicated his life to preach The Word. As a result, no alcohol was allowed in my grandfather's home, and my father never had to deal with the evils drunkenness brings to a family growing up. My dad became a preacher, like his dad, and I followed both their footsteps and am myself in the ministry all because "a remnant returned to the Lord."

Maybe you are the only Christian in your home. Or maybe you feel that you are the only one around who takes their faith seriously. Do not give up hoping and waiting in the Lord. Just like Isaiah and my grandfather, you can be the remnant generation that turns the tide and whole course of the generations to come after you. I'm living proof of my grandfather's legacy. God can take a dead stump and bring new life into it again, and He can in your life as well.

"Lord Jesus, thank You for the faith of my grandfather who changed the reputation of the Wilson family. I pray that You will use his story to encourage others to never give up. Thank You for new life out of a dead stump; let me be a remnant in this generation that returns to You."

Joint Custody

April 11 2016
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:4 (ESV)

Joint Custody

"For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does."

Being married now for over a year and a half, I begin to understand the meaning of this verse. I never thought my patterns of life would need to change once I got married. Yet, my bacheloristic lifestyle was far from the perfect way a family should live. So what if I fling my socks across the room after a long day, or fold my laundry a certain way I like, or play a video game to relax my mind?  

The truth is, I didn't really know how selfish I could be until I had to share my bathroom, my free time, and my bed etc. But even so, I don't consider any of this a loss, because by the power of Christ, I love my wife more than I love myself. Though I had to change and give up some things along the way, I would gladly surrender my rights for her, because my love for her conquers my selfishness for me. 

From the moment I said, "I Do", I no longer possess full custody over Luke Wilson. As a loving husband, I must learn to live by the principle that I am not my own. This doesn't mean that I must never have things to myself, like hobbies, goals, or dreams, for God made me an individual person apart from my wife. But what this does mean is that I must be willing to put myself and my agenda down on the line for the love of my marriage. When she needs me, I must not deny her physically, or deny her my service, or deny her my attention, or my affection. Likewise she does the same for me because true love conquers selfishness. 

"Lord Jesus, thank You for blessing me with an amazing godly wife. I pray that I will continually become less selfish as I love her the rest of my life. Let me be reminded that I am not my own, but Yours and her's. Help me to always be ready to show my love to her when she needs me, even when I don't feel like it. Amen."