12 Inches

   Did you know that you can miss heaven by 12 inches? That is roughly the distance between your head and your heart. Far too many people have had a head knowledge of God, and not actually have a personal relationship with God. It says in James 2:19, "You believe there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe, and tremble." The demons of all creation know exactly who God is, since they spent time with Him before the Fall. Take for example the Pharisees in the time of Jesus. He called them "whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones, and all uncleanness." in Matthew 23:27. The Pharisees knew the law, but they did not know the Law Maker. They took the time to memorize and abide by 613 laws, but didn't take the time to get to know the One whom the laws were written to please. 

  How does one get to know Jesus? Well, I'm glad you asked. Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:3, that "Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." How does one be "born again" when he is full grown? The answer is simple. You must repent of your sins. According to the dictionary, the word repent means "to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life". In the church of today, the word repent is not mentioned as much as it should be. Church has become less of a hospital for sinners, and more of a positive self help seminar. They focus on doing good and feeling good, and not on the core of salvation. You first have to realize that you are a sinner, and be sorrowful of your sin. It says in Second Corinthians 7:10, "For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation." It's not about feeling "your best self" as Joel Osteen preaches, but good old fashioned sorrow for your state. Until you have that moment of repentance, it is impossible to please God. The book of Proverbs says that there is a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof is death. You can go to church, give to the poor, volunteer at the homeless shelters and still miss heaven. Jesus says that "MANY in that day will say, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and in Your name have cast out many demons, and in Your name done many wonderful works?' And then I will say to you, I never knew you: depart from me you who work iniquity." These are the ones that will miss heaven by 12 inches. Today, if you do not know the man named Jesus, I urge you to repent of your sins, and make it right with Him. Tomorrow is not a guarantee, but death and eternity are. Love ya, mean it.

Travis

  

Louder Than the Mob

   In Matthew 20:29-34, two blind men received their sight from Jesus. It says that a great multitude followed Jesus from Jericho. As they went along, two blind men sat on the street. When they heard that Jesus was coming, they cried out to Jesus that He would heal them, but the multitude told them to be quiet. It says that they cried out even louder for Jesus. They cried out, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!" Jesus stood in front of them and asked them what they wanted Him to do for them, even though He already knew.  They asked that their eyes may be opened. It said that Jesus had compassion and He touched their eyes, and immediately they were opened. 

  This is a true story, but it also has a spiritual meaning. When we were lost and dying, we too had to cry out to Jesus. He was moved by our cries, came into our lives and our spiritual eyes were opened. The thing I find most inspiring by this story, is when the blind men were crying out to Jesus, the crowd was trying to silence them, but they cried out even louder. The enemy doesn't want us crying out to Jesus. He wants to keep us quiet, complacent and blind. Today, we have so many things trying to silence our cries to Jesus; television, social media, YouTube, TikTok, the list goes on and on. I'm not saying that these are bad things. In fact, these can be used to spread the gospel to a lost and dying world, but too much of a good thing is a bad thing, right? We have people trying to silence the words of the righteous, calling good bad, and bad good. The words of Christ are foolishness to them. Our cries to Jesus have to be louder than that of the world. They will not silence us. We have to stand firm, and cry louder than they, so that they may have their eyes opened as well. Today, I pray that we can be louder than the mob so that they too can receive their spiritual sight.

From the Pit to the Palace

  I posted a video on my Facebook page earlier and a good friend of mine shared a few of his life verses and it inspired me to write this entry. It comes from Psalms 40:1-3; "I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth. Praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and many will trust in the Lord." 

  This passage really lit a fire under me, because of the pit that I was in. I was miserable before giving my life to Christ. I would stay in bed for days on end with no purpose or any relief in sight. I tried everything to numb my brain and ease my mind, but nothing worked. One morning as I was about to get into the shower, I knew something had to change, so I hit my knees and fell on my face on the bathroom floor. I cried out to God and asked Him to cleanse me and give me another chance. I know that doesn't sound so pleasant, being on a dirty bathroom floor, but that floor was cleaner than the filth that I was mired up in, but when I came up, I was a new man. I was cleansed of my sins and was a brand new creature.  God heard my cry and listened. You don't know the desperation I felt without Him in my life. I was miserable, but since that day, I have a new song in my mouth and a new desire to follow Him. I'm on my way to heaven and I want to take as many with me as I can. 

  The rock that David was talking about was Jesus Christ. It's like the analogy of the wise man in Matthew 7, who built his house on a rock, and when the floods came, the house stood firm because it was built on a solid foundation. The same couldn't be said about the foolish man who built his house on the sand. When the floods came the house fell. What foundation is your life built upon? Is it built upon the rock of Christ, or is it crumbling under the weight of the world? I can't promise you that you won't have problems on this road. As a matter of fact, it says that you will have problems in this life, but if your house is built on that Rock, you got nothing to worry about. Let come what may, you will remain unshaken. I love you guys and I hope that this will touch someone. Love ya, mean it.

Wake Up

   Romans 13:11-14 "And do this, knowing the time, that it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts"

  This passage is more relevant now than when it was written. We are in the 11th hour. It's not going to be long until we hear the trumpet sound and we all go home. It is time that we wake up and shake off the things of this world. It's time that we get off our hindquarters and start working fervently to get the lost of this world into the family of God. First Peter 4 verses 7 and 8 say that the end of all things is at hand, so be serious and watchful in your prayers, and above all to have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins. If there is a more fitting time to love another, it's now. The devil knows that his reign on earth is almost through and he is doing his very best to bring as many people down with him as he can. Colossians 4 verse 5 says to walk in wisdom toward those who are outside and to make the most of the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, not saltiness, so that we will know how to answer one another.  The world has seen enough strife and backbiting from the so-called "Church." We need to love one another as was demonstrated by Christ Jesus. It is time to stop bickering with each other and start loving the lost. We are all on the same team, with the same objective. Let's start acting like it. 

Endurance

     Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with ENDURANCE the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 
 -Hebrews 12:1

   The writer of Hebrews compared the spiritual life to a runner. The "great cloud of witnesses" are the spectators. They are the ones who have gone on before us and have finished the race. They are cheering us on in the heavenly grandstand. A good friend of mine once told me that the spiritual race is a marathon, and not a sprint. How does a runner prepare for such a race? Training, and lots of it. First Timothy 2:3 tells us the recipe for success. "Train yourself towards godliness" Exercise and shedding all the excess weight of the world is key for success. "Train" comes from the Greek word "gumnos" which means naked. "Gumnos" is where we get the English word gymnasium. Competitors in New Testament times would compete naked so as not to be encumbered by the weight of clothing. Athletes of all kinds spend hundreds of hours in the gym and on the playing field practicing and training for competition. They're not inherently good, it takes tons of practice and dedication. These athletes have a little thing called endurance.  First Corinthians 9:24-26 says this; "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives a prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown."

  Second Timothy 2:3-6 gives us these analogies; "You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. And also if anyone competes in athletics (there it is again), he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops" 

  A soldier, when he is in the heat of battle isn't checking his Instagram, or checking to see what's trending on X (formerly Twitter). He is focused on one thing; survival, because if he were to lose focus for even one second, his life could be over. An athlete doesn't win the prize if he doesn't adhere to the rulebook. So as in the life of the believer; we have to adhere to the Holy Rulebook. We also see a farmer in this analogy. You can't get the crops unless you first till the ground, plant the seeds, and water them. This all takes endurance, patience and hard work. Galatians 6:7-9 says this about the spiritual "farmer". "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that will he also reap. For he who sows to the flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not grow weary. ENDURE. 

  Romans 5:3-5 says this; "But we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given us." You see, tribulations and trying times toughen up our spiritual skin. It leads to perseverance. ENDURANCE. Perseverance builds character and in Proverbs 22:1 it says that a good name is to be chosen rather than great riches. Character leads to hope, and our hope is in God who has poured out His love through the Holy Spirit. 

  Don't give up. Don't lose hope. We have a lot to gain if we just keep pressing on. Don't let the cares of this world drag you down. You got this in Jesus' mighty name. Now go, have a God day. Love ya, mean it.

Dollars and Pennies

     As I was reading my devotional this morning, I came across a very powerful statement. Charles Spurgeon once said, “A man’s life is always more forcible than his speech. When men take stock of him, they reckon his deeds as dollars and his words as pennies.” What this means is that your actions far outweigh your words. Your words are worthless if your life does not back them up. Philippians 1:27 says to let your conduct be worthy of the gospel. Stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel.” If our lives do not reflect the words we speak, our words are worthless. 

  I was talking to my son, who recently accepted Christ as his Savior about the importance of clean speech. I read Ephesians 4:29 to him and explained to him the importance of not letting any “corrupt communication” be spoken and how our words should only be used to build people up. I explained how that people watch his actions and if his words and his actions didn’t line up with his profession of faith, it could be a hindrance to the unbeliever, and how it could hurt his testimony.

  Back in the late 1900’s, as my kids call it, there were bracelets with the letters WWJD on them. It stood for What Would Jesus Do?. Feeling nostalgic, I ordered a pack for myself and the family. I gave one to my son, but before I put it on his wrist, I gave him a little encouragement and warning. I told him to let that be a constant reminder to always ask if Jesus would do what he was doing. I told him to always think before acting because people are always watching. 

  I know it sounds cliche, but sometimes you are the only Bible someone reads. Our actions and words should always reflect the light of Christ. Ephesians 5:1 says, “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children, and walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us.” If our actions don’t line up with our profession, it is detrimental to the unbeliever. I don’t want someone looking at my actions and saying, “Well, if that’s how a Christian acts…” Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”  Let us walk in the light as He is in the light as 1John1:7 says. Love ya, mean it.

Of Buzzards and Eagles

   As I was driving home the other day, I came across a racoon that had been run over in the road. Feeding on its carcass were two old vultures, and it gave me a message idea. The buzzards, as they're known here in East Tennessee, mainly  only feed on rotting flesh. Death and decay do not deter them, rather attract them. The same is the spiritual life of the unbeliever. They fill their lives with things that do not have anything of godly value. The things they watch, listen to and speak are not things of God. Romans 8:5-6 says; "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." Take for example the opposite of the vulture, the bald eagle. It soars high and swoops down and grabs living food from rivers and lakes. Its diet are fish and other smaller living things. The eagle is beautiful and majestic. Buzzards? Not the same. 

 After the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus gives the crowd a little analogy. In John 6:35, He tells them, "I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to me shall never hunger." It goes on to say in verse 63 that the words Jesus spoke were life. Jesus IS life, and the words He speaks give life. In Matthew 5:6 Jesus tells the multitude, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." He wasn't talking about physical hunger, because the children of Israel ate the manna from heaven and they died. He was talking about spiritual hunger. He loved speaking in parables and analogies. He says in John 6:26 to not labor for the food that perishes but for the food which endures to eternal life. Don't get it twisted; He didn't say that we didn't need to eat, but our main focus should be on the Bread of Life, which leads to an eternity with Him. 

  Proverbs 15:14 says that the heart of him who seeks understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on foolishness. You would have to be living under a rock to not know that this world has lost its collective mind. You have men wanting to be women and women wanting to be men. You have men dressed as women reading story books to children. Romans 1:24-27 says this; "Therefore, God also gave them up to uncleanliness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature, rather than the Creator. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due." Paul was talking about the children of Israel, but we see this kind of behavior running rampant in today's society as well. These people are feeding on the death and decay of sin, and are regurgitating it all over the world. 

 Philippians 4:8 offers this; "Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue, and if there is anything praiseworthy- meditate (feast) on these things" We need to stop feeding our minds with the things of this world. As the saying goes, "garbage in, garbage out". The things that we put in our mind are the things that come out of us. Jesus said to Peter in Matthew 15 verse 17, "Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the hear, and they defile a man." Let's stop feeding on the carcasses of the world, and let's eat from the Bread of Life, and let the things that come out of our mouth be used for the edification of our fellow man. Now go, and have a God day. Love ya, mean it.