Quick Hitters Compilation

This section is a compilation of brief messages I’m starting to write. Frankly, my usual posts at GodsClayGodsWay.com have been getting longer and longer. I’m not sure a lot of folks are taking the time or energy to read through them, though I think they’re worth the effort.

So, I’m adding these brief messages on this page, in no particular order. As I write new ones, I’ll add them here. My hope is that I’ll get to record these as videos. I’ll let you know here when that happens.

May these bless you!

Brother Mark

 

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Episode 7

Accepting His Payment

You can try to pay for your sins by doing enough good things, but that doesn’t really work, not even close. Romans 10:3

In fact, Scripture clearly tells us that all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. Isaiah 64:6

Trying to establish your own righteousness says three things:

• First, you really don't trust that what Jesus paid was enough.

• Second, you really don't want the changes our Lord wants to work in you.

• Third, you're harboring stuff not yet surrendered to Him.

When I was almost 19 (a long time ago!), some teenagers came up to me and said, “Hey, Man, do you want to meet Jesus?” I didn't know the Gospel, but I'd seen the ingrained ugliness of my life and knew I couldn’t fix it. Meeting Jesus seemed like a great idea, so I said Yes.

They led me through a simple prayer that changed me. I've had some serious ups and downs in the years since, but that prayer is still changing me. I don’t remember the exact words, but here’s something that you may want to pray. The wording isn’t official; it’s whether you mean it that counts.

 “Heavenly Father, I believe that your Son, Jesus, paid the full price for my sins through His death on the cross. I accept His payment. I believe that He has risen from the dead and is able to make my life new.

I can't fix myself, so I give ownership of myself -- all of me and everything about me -- to Jesus. Please forgive all my sins and cleanse me from whatever isn't right with you. Come live your life in me! Have your way with me. Don't leave me the way you find me now. Amen."

 

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Episode 6

Getting Plugged In

Whatever got Christians by in past years won't be enough going forward. In Matthew 13:20 through 23, Jesus talks about Kingdom seed being scattered on different kinds of soil. Only some seed fell on good ground.

He makes it clear that being a casual, fair weather Christian won't cut it, especially not in tough times. Troubles, persecutions, the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of riches try to pull us away from God's best. The list could go on and on, but that's enough for starters. You get the picture.

So let me ask:

Are you plugging Jesus into your life as an add-on? Are you treating Him as if He's a life-jacket, a safety net, or a back up plan?

Are you wanting Him to be a mostly quiet backseat passenger you can call on to help when there's trouble?

Do you have Him there to get your life past rough spots, making Him a just-in-case kind of Savior?

Here's the real picture. To take you deeper into His incredible story, He'll need to

• Prepare you,

• Shape you,   

• Clean up a few things, 

• Renew the way you think, and       

• Toughen you up.

Like a military boot camp, it won't be easy but it will be so worth it.

So, are you plugging Jesus into your life or letting Him plug you into His?

This is an enormously important decision. Are you going to really trust Him with ownership and control over your life? If so, it's the best choice you'll ever make.

 

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Episode 5

He Qualifies the Called

You may feel stuck in what seems to be a where-is-God kind of season. You may feel forgotten, as though your Kingdom assignment has been set aside, frustrated or even defeated. I know what that feels like. I've been there.

But the Lord is using this time to prepare you. You're not Called to a particular Kingdom role because you're qualified. If you let Him, He will qualify you. Trust Him. Stay surrendered. Make up your mind to keep a tender heart. He knows what He's doing.

Before He can transition you into whatever is next, He will likely change some of your habits and strengthen your character. You need Him to do all of that and more. There may be trials and testing, purging and refining. But in the middle of all of that, He is always working.

You are like silver in God's purifying fire. He is removing the dross that's unsuitable for His next move in you, through you and around you.

God doesn't call the qualified. He qualifies the Called.

Trust Him as you seek Him. Stay surrendered and tender to Him. Refuse to become hard hearted. He's working to transform you into a unique vessel, one that's ever more suitable for His many layered purposes.

And now pray this:

"Father, change me from the inside out so that everything about me reflects your rule and your character. Turn me into the person You dream about me being. I want to know You. I want to bring your heart joy! I trust you to do this. Thank you, Lord!

In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

 

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Episode 4

No Such Thing as Sex Change  

There's no such thing as sex change. No matter how much society tries to convince you or you try to convince yourself, you will always have the DNA you were born with.

There are two sexes, two sets of DNA: male and female. That’s all God made. Period, end of story. Anything else is a lie.

No matter how you change your appearance, even with surgical mutilation and drugs, your DNA won't change,

No matter how you change your mannerisms, your appearance, your friends, your activities or sexual liaisons, your DNA won't change.

No matter how many new demons -- yes, demons -- you open yourself up to, your DNA won't change. And you'd better believe that there are demons involved with these deceptions.

Remember Doctor Anthony Fauci and his cohorts? They lied about Covid's origins and the so-called protections provided by masks and social distancing. They said "Trust the science". They were lying and they knew it.

Folks who say you can change your sex are also lying. They're badly deceived, They don't love truth. Read 2 Thessalonians 2:9 and 10.

The Lord can set anyone free from lies, deceptions, and ungodliness. In New Testament days, the city of Corinth was a center for every kind of godless perversion. In 1 Corinthians 6:9 through 11, the Apostle Paul makes a list, then says to the Believers there

"And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

Jesus can set you free from those sins, lies and deceptions. He's the only one who can.

 

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Episode 3

Recognition    

Imagine for a moment that you're part of the prayer team at the end of a famous preacher's big meeting. You're just one of several ministry team people up front, praying for those who are pressing forward to receive prayer. A woman you pray for is instantly, miraculously healed, delivered and set free.

A few minutes later, she's brought up to the platform to share the news of what God has done for her. But when asked who it was that prayed for her, she didn't know, saying “It was just somebody up front.”

Would that bother you? Would it bother you not to be recognized?

Jesus Himself addressed the difference between receiving recognition from people and seeking the glory that comes from God alone.

John 5:44 NKJV

“How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?”

So I'll ask again:

Would it bother you if you weren’t recognized as the person God used to touch this woman? The quiet answer inside you says a lot about the condition of your heart.

 

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Episode 2

The Payment He Made

God knows all about your past and your present, your problems and your issues, including the ones you can’t seem to shake and even the ones you don't see.

No matter how you’ve fallen short, your value in His eyes has nothing to do with your good deeds or your misdeeds.

Your value in His eyes is determined solely by what He chose to pay for you. 1 John 2:2

Nothing can change or even cast a shadow on what Jesus paid. When you really, really mess up, does that change how much Jesus paid for you? No, it doesn’t!

When you do really, really well--by that I mean that you’ve been on a truly impressive run--does that add to what Jesus paid? No, it doesn’t!

There’s nothing you can do one way or the other to change what He chose to pay.

Jesus did His part; He paid your sin debt. You have free will, so you can accept or reject His payment, but you can't change it.

Your part is to accept His payment, turn your life over to Him, then surrender to the changes He wants to bring.

That's called faith and repentance. It's the action at the heart of the Gospel.

God has been pursuing you for a very long time.

The big question is whether you’ll surrender to Him, ask His forgiveness, accept what He chose to pay for you, and stay surrendered as He transforms your life.

 

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Episode 1

What You're Worth

What is your real value in God's eyes? The answer is surprisingly simple.

With the sacrifice of His life, Jesus paid all of humanity's sin debt. All sin debt, for every person, for all time. 1 John 2:2.

You can't add to or take away from what Jesus paid. He paid what He paid. It can't be changed. All you can do is accept or reject it. By paying humanity's sin debt with His life, Jesus set your value.

The Lord set all of this creation up. He knew humanity would fall but He wanted us anyway. So He set up the way He would redeem us.

He could have chosen to pay our sin debt with one of His Angels. But what would our value be when we got to heaven? We’d have the same value as that Angel. Now I imagine that God’s Angels are worth a lot, but He doesn’t want us to be Angels.

Scripture is clear. Angels have a wonderful relationship with God, but they're not Sons and Daughters. The Father wants us to be His Sons and Daughters. We're called to that special relationship, one not enjoyed by His holy angels. 2 Corinthians 6:18

That’s why Father God chose to pay your sin debt with His own Son, Jesus Christ. Isaiah 53:6.

Your sin debt has been paid, but because of your free will, there's still something left for you to do. You must choose to accept Jesus' payment, then turn your life over to Him and the changes He wants to bring. We call those steps repentance and faith. Acts 20:21

The big question becomes whether you’ll choose to surrender to Him, ask His forgiveness, accept what He paid for you, and trust Him to have His way as He transforms your life in the obvious ways and in the dark corners.

 

About / Preface

Welcome to the "God's Clay God's Way" blog and podcast. I'm Brother Mark, and I'm glad you're here. These messages look at what's in God's heart for us. Here's a secret: we're really looking at what's in God's heart for Himself. 

Real Victory: A Self Examination

I've been thinking and writing quite a bit lately about one of Jesus' key topics: the radical importance of dying to self. That focus has had me prayerfully re-examining my own life. I've been asking the Lord to reveal hidden motives in my own heart. 

Frankly, I've been stunned at the deep levels of self-focus and self-interest He's pointed out. Maybe the worst part is that I've been justifying it, making it seem so reasonable.

Where Real Victory Lives Part 1

Popular culture emphasizes self-fulfillment and seeking your own happiness. But that is the opposite of Heaven's way. Jesus is clear: those who give primacy to their own desires, comfort and security will lose what they so mistakenly value.

The people who are willing to lay down their own desires, comfort and preferences for God's higher purposes are the ones who will find true fulfillment and happiness in His extravagant love.

Where Real Victory Lives Part 2

I'm assuming you've already read Where Real Victory Lives Part 1. That's important. It lays the foundation for what's being covered here in Part 2.

Years ago, my wife and I saw a silly card that made us laugh.

An older couple was sharing their marriage secret with a newly married couple. The older gentleman said they'd decided early on that he would make the big decisions and she would make the small ones. It worked so well that in all these years they hadn't had a single big decision.

My wife and I definitely saw the humour in that. Today, it brings me to a big part of this overall message: the marriage relationship. Some folks will disagree with me, but this is how I see it reflected in the Bible.

Where Real Victory Lives Part 3

I was thinking I'd pretty much finished with this topic, but i keep getting hit with the thought that I wasn't direct enough in Part 1 and Part 2. May Part 3 be blunt and clear. If the Lord wants to step on your toes, tell Him to go ahead and do it.

In fact, stop right now and pray. Ask the Lord to show you how any of this may apply to you.

But Do You Trust Him? Part 1

Do you ever feel like you're wrestling with God?

It's possible to have faith in the payment He made for your sin-debt but still feel like it's not quite safe to fully trust Him. After all, His agenda is pretty radical. 

If fully trusting God scares you, your heart might pull back from Him in a short-sighted attempt at what feels like self-protection. 

But Do You Trust Him? Part 2

This is where Trusting God rounds out your Faith in God. This is where I circle back around to the core of this message: "But do you trust Him?"

If things seem too hard and you feel like you've already given all you can give, yet He's asking for more...will you trust Him?

Almost everyone suffers loss and heartbreak at some point in their life, some far worse than others. Here's my personal insight into this issue. 

One More Time at Bat

Ephesians 2:8-9

"Salvation is by grace through faith, not by works, so no one can boast."

I've recently visited this topic from several different directions. But the Holy Spirit keeps putting it on my heart, so here's another swing at it. May this one hit it out of the park.

Repentance: More Than A Definition

True repentance is something you choose to do. It becomes a habit of deep and endless surrender. When it's coupled with trust in Jesus' payment and Sovereignty, true repentance is life-changing.

Don't be like people whose religious, pious-sounding words of repentance are near Him while their hearts are far away.

In Matthew 15:8-9 (NKJV), Jesus quotes from Isaiah:

‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

You'll need a new heart to pull this off. He's more than happy to give you one.

What Repentance Is and Isn't

 God's plan for your eternity kicks in when you

• Confess and repent,

• Accept Jesus' payment of your sin debt, and

• Surrender to His Lordship in and over your life.

That makes it important to know what repentance is and what it isn't. 

Prayers I Adapt from Scripture

There's an almost unlimited number of prayers you can adapt and personalize from Scripture. It's a great way to pray.  

Here's some of my favorites followed by the Bible verses that helped inspire them. There's nothing official about these prayers. It's okay -- maybe even better -- to use your own words.

Again, as always, heart attitude is more important than the words. I hope these will inspire you. 

Heaven's Open Door

When Jesus took it upon Himself to pay off humanity's sin debt, He opened the door to Heaven. Without His payment, that door would have stayed closed.

Here's what I mean. Before Jesus died on the Cross, the Holy of Holies in Jerusalem's Temple was closed off by a heavy veil. That symbolized that the door to God's full presence in Heaven was closed. 

Repentance: What and Why

God created people to give Himself more to love in Heaven. But the fall of man put up a roadblock to God's unlimited love.

To better understand this, we must consider two immutable things about God: His love and His holiness.

• God's love is an integral part of His very essence. He IS love. He can't turn it off. He wouldn't turn it off even if He could (1 John 4:8).

• Holiness is also a part of His very essence. He IS holiness. He IS perfect purity that cannot be compromised (1 Peter 1:16; Revelation 4:8). 

I look at it like this: His holiness puts a barrier around His love. It's a fence line that can't be crossed. The barrier of holiness reinforces His love by keeping impurity out. 

Here's what I mean.

The Gospel's Two Anchors

There are many layers to the Gospel story. Today, I'm going to focus on two of them. At first glance, they’ll seem to be things you’re already familiar with. But many Christians…maybe most Christians…get these at least partially wrong.

The more we get them wrong, the more we limit Jesus’ work in and through us. If we get them too wrong, we’re in danger of not even being Saved. I can’t tell you where God draws that line, but wherever He draws that line, I want to be very far away from it.

If we get these Gospel truths right, any person can live in a restored relationship with God...a real, vibrant, personal, living relationship, like what Adam first had in the Garden of Eden. That's what Jesus died to give each of us.

I call these "The Gospel's Two Anchors". Without BOTH of them, no one will pass Judgement Day.

Without our input or help, Jesus took care of the First Anchor. But we are responsible for the Second Anchor. 

A Debt You Can’t Pay

Sin is anything that's incompatible with God's holy essence and commands. Sin doesn’t come in to be nice. It is a ruthless taskmaster that separates us from God.

Collaborate or Die

God’s unlimited love clearly wants to take as many people into heaven’s eternity as He can. But the reality is that His unlimited love is limited by the physics of heaven’s holiness. Nothing unclean or out of synch with God’s essence can be there.

God’s plan to take hopelessly fallen people to Himself has to account for two inescapable issues:  

1. Mankind can’t pay its own sin debt.  
2. We have free will to accept or reject His Lordship.

Choices

God chose to give you free will to use as you see fit. But that doesn't mean He's okay with the choices you make.

What God Won’t Do

There are some things God won't ever do. Here's just a few of them. You can probably think of more. 

Charlie Kirk and the Battle of Good vs Evil

Much has already been said about the assassination of Charlie Kirk. By any righteous measure, what happened to Charlie was horribly wrong. Satan's demons worked through a deeply deceived person to murder him. The demons thought they could stop the move of God that Charlie represented. They were wrong. 

The move of God through Charlie's Turning Point USA is about far more than politics and civil discourse. It's about the war between good and evil in the spirit realm and the corresponding battle between right and wrong in this physical dimension. It's a battle for the souls and eternal destination of real people, young and old.  

Charlie's assassination is only one gut-wrenching page among the uncounted stories of God's martyrs killed by people who thought they were doing God a favor. That battle is still going on. Today, I want to think with you about that larger battle.

As always, if you don't like what I'm saying, take it up with the Bible.  

More Holy Spirit, Please

A good place to begin today is to think a bit about the relationship between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. They are collectively referred to as The Holy Trinity. We understand them to be One God in three Persons. How their internal relationship works is in many ways a mystery we accept more than understand.

There's a fitting parallel in a French novel from 1884 titled "The Three Musketeers". The motto of the main characters is

"All for One and One for All!"

Their motto provides an analogy, at least in part, for the internal relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

But I'm thinking we can go deeper than that. 

Wrestling in Your Soul

Ultimately, there are two Kingdoms: Jesus' kingdom of light vs. the Satanic kingdom of darkness.

Our fully sovereign Creator gives each person the freedom to choose between the two. He tries to draw us, woo us, and influence us to choose Jesus and His kingdom. But He won't force us.

An Old Warhorse

Today I'm sharing thoughts about warhorses. This analogy first came to mind decades ago. I don't recall now what stirred this to life, but I do know that God was in it and that He used it to speak to me down deep in my soul. Maybe this is mostly for me, but I think it will speak to you, too.

I'm certainly no expert on horses or on warhorses, for that matter, so if my historical accuracy is a little off, please bear with me. It's my story, after all.

A Soft and Tender Heart

The choices you make as a Believer have a huge impact on your life and the lives of others. For it to be a godly impact, you must maintain a soft and tender heart towards God. 

Choosing that kind of heart is up to you. He'll help you, but you determine the tenderness of your heart.

Psalm 95:7-8 (NIV)

Today, if only you would hear his voice, “Do not harden your hearts..."

 

He wouldn't have said that if you didn't have a choice in the matter. As Tarzan might have said it, 

"Hard heart bad. Soft heart good."

Embracing His Plan

From the beginning, God's plan through Jesus has been to rescue fallen people and take them to Himself in Heaven. In large measure, He's delaying judgement on this fallen world, allowing more time for more people to turn to Him. And not for them to just kind of turn; to really turn, an all the way deep down in the heart kind of turn that impacts every part of a person's life.

That kind of heart change won't always be easy. But whether it's easy or not, the goal for us, more than anything, should be to sell out completely to whatever makes our Creator's heart sing and rejoice.  

The Truth About Death

There. That got your attention. Now let me explain what I means when I say "The Truth About Death." 

You might guess I'm talking about becoming less self-oriented and more Christ-oriented.

That's a good guess. Jesus spoke repeatedly to His disciples that they must die to living for themselves and instead live for Him. Matthew 16:24 (NIV) and Mark 8:34 (NIV) are good examples. That is the subject of many sermons, and rightfully so, but that's not the kind of death I'm talking about today.

This is. 

Israel Under Attack: The Real Battle, Part 1

The original "Israel Under Attack: The Real Battle", was getting a bit long, so I broke it into two parts. This is Part 1. Click here for Part 2.

I was stirred to begin writing these comments in October 2023, in the midst of the evil, murderous attacks on Israel by Hamas, Hezbollah, and others. They're supported by the leaders of Iran. These are wicked, demon-driven attacks.

Around the world, calls for destruction and violence against Jews are loud and spreading. In this episode, I want to clarify God’s thoughts on all of this. 

If you don’t like what I’m saying, take it up with the Bible. 

Israel Under Attack: The Real Battle, Part 2

The original "Israel Under Attack: The Real Battle", was getting a bit long, so I've broken it into two parts. This is Part 2. Click here for Part 1. 

I was stirred to begin writing these comments in October 2023, in the midst of the evil, murderous attacks on Israel by Hamas, Hezbollah, and others. They're supported by the leaders of Iran. These are wicked, demon-driven attacks.

Around the world, calls for destruction and violence against Jews are loud and spreading. 

Here, in Part 2, I want to further clarify God’s thoughts on all of this. 

If you don’t like what I’m saying, take it up with the Bible. 

When Change is Good

People tend to want things to stay the same. Even people who are in bad situations are often afraid of change. Fear has them paralyzed. But Jesus is all about change, radical change. He died to make radical change possible. More than that, He lives to make radical change happen. After all, He is the Author AND Finisher of our Faith (Hebrews 12:2).

May this message stir your heart to a greater passion for our Lord Jesus and the things He is passionate about. 

The Pastor’s Two Masters

This message is subtitled "Caught between The Rock and a Hard Place".

I've never been responsible for a church staff or budget. I've never been a paid church employee. But I can tell you what I've observed. Please take this as a warning, as a light shining into a dark place. 

This isn't a rebuke...that would have to come from the Lord Himself. If this applies to you, I'm honored if you think of me as little more than Balaam's donkey (Numbers 22:21-35). This is God's message, not mine. If you don't like what I'm saying, take it up with the Bible.

Hang on, this could hurt. I may ramble a bit, but I'm making what I believe to be very valid points. Some Pastors manage to avoid this trap, but many don't.

Prophetic Intercession

There are a variety of roles in the Body of Believers. He has a customized role for each of His children (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). Whatever your role, great glory has been written into it.  

When it comes to prayer, God wants every Believer to have an intimate and effective prayer life. But not everyone is called to have the same prayer style. There are many good books about growing an effective prayer life. I'm not trying to outdo those. In this episode, I'm simply hoping to supplement those teachings.

Praying in His Name

A close, loving relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is the key to an effective prayer life, much more so than ritualistic word formulas or special phrases we hope will make God respond.

Jesus told us to pray in His name, meaning to pray as His representative. Unfortunately, saying "In the name of Jesus" at the end of our prayers has become something less than what He intended.

It's All About Relationship

Being born-again is absolutely free, provided you're willing to pay the high price. That sounds like a contradiction, but it's not. Jesus makes it easy to be born again. But He also makes it very expensive. Let me explain.

The Shalom Dome: A Call to Prayer

In this Bonus Episode, I'm sharing a Holy Spirit encounter that rolled over me in the early morning hours of August 4, 2024. The Holy Spirit is urging me to share this as a call for prayer.

Rethink Yourself

Today, my prayer is 

Lord, let your people wake up before they have to be shaken awake.

In Psalm 19:12, David asks the Lord, 

Who could possibly know all that he has done wrong? Forgive my hidden and unknown faults.

In this episode, I'm talking about an issue that limits the faith-walk of a lot of good people. It's potentially very serious, a big sinkhole in their path through this life. Satan will do his best to take advantage of it before people -- before you -- wake up. You should make this a matter of prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what's ahead in your path: a sinkhole, a pothole, just a rough patch, or smooth sailing.

It Really Is All About Jesus

When you boil everything down, this creation really is all about Jesus and His plans. It's His story. We are simply characters in His play, on His stage, in His theater. He owns the whole nine yards.

No matter what anyone says, Jesus is not a character on our stage. He's not an actor in our play. We exist for Him, not the other way around.  

At this point, you may be asking "If it's all about Jesus, what's in it for me?" The one word answer is "Everything".

Tell Them I Love Them

While praying about the next God's Clay God's Way episode, in my spirit I heard the Lord say “Tell them I love them.” This is the first episode that followed.

The Lord God Almighty loves you and wants to spend eternity with you. He wants to take you through the brokenness of this world to a wonderful new life with Him. That new life begins the moment you're born again, then keeps going far beyond however many years you have left here.

God's Love vs. Hell

The Lord God Almighty, the Creator and Owner of it all, loves you. Yes, you. It's His nature to love. He can't help Himself.

So, if He loves everyone, why does He send people to Hell? The answer is actually very simple, but getting to that simple answer will take laying some groundwork. So hang on, here we go.

Coulda Woulda Shoulda

If you're a born-again disciple of the Lord Jesus, His call is deep and ongoing, extending well beyond your time on this earth. He doesn't want you to look back and see you've lived a Coulda Woulda Shoulda brand of barely there Christianity. He's calling us deeper, to stand strong...and to take a strong stand.

The Unforgivable Sin

Jesus said that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the unforgivable sin. Yes, that's what He said. It's recorded in Matthew chapter 12 and Mark chapter 3. But I think unpacking what Jesus said requires more than a surface reading of those verses. So, what's the big picture He was talking about? My conclusion might surprise you.

What Will Heaven Be Like?

The Bible tells us to set our mind on things above, not on things on the earth. Colossians 3:2. To do that, the more we know about heaven, the better. Faith will unlock these things in your heart. Faith takes as fact truths that are not yet apparent to your physical senses.

God's Master Plan

God has always had a Master Plan, and that plan is glorious, generous, and gracious. It covers far more than people and angels. It includes the many other things He’s created. Today, though, I want us to visualize the portion of His Master Plan for humanity. It will help us see more about why we're here.

Creator God is fully sovereign. He has purposes and plans for every season of this life. But does He always get His way? No, by His sovereign choice, at one level He doesn't always get His way. But, in the big picture, He is getting His way. That sounds contradictory, but it’s not. Let me explain.

Through and To

When faced with the cross, Jesus looked past it to the ultimate joy set before Him. He foresaw the magnificent outcome for Himself and the vast multitude of people He was buying with His sacrifice. He looked past the suffering to the glorious result. That empowered Him to endure. That's what the Bible says in Hebrews 12:2.

We are to do the same thing, looking beyond any present distress we may encounter.

Freedom to Choose

Questions about God’s sovereignty have been on my plate recently. Is He in charge or isn’t He? The straight answer is that He is fully sovereign, always is fully sovereign, and has never NOT been fully sovereign. But He has chosen to do things with His sovereignty that make the picture from here seem unclear at times.

Much More Than This Life

This life isn't just about this life. As big and as complicated as this life is, it's really just a set up for what God has planned next.

This is about what's in the heart of the Lord God Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, Owner of all life and of all eternity. He is the One and Only God. There is no other. there is no equal. He really really wants you with Him in His eternal heaven where He can love on you, enjoy you, and indulge the passion of His heart in you. That's why He made you.

The Pop Quiz

This world is loaded—year after year, century after century--with evil, with demonic inhumanity, with spiritual corruption, with all kinds of immorality and unrighteousness, with hatred, cruelty, gross injustice, terror, violence, and horror. Calling it sheer ungodliness doesn't seem nearly strong enough.

I'm not going to downplay how bad that is. I'm not going to blow smoke and say Aw, it ain't that bad because, well, it is that bad. It's even far far worse than that bad. Immeasurably worse. This world is no longer close to the beautiful, wonderful, very very good world that God originally made it to be. 

How God Sees Life and Death

God sees life and death very differently than we do. He is just as close to me now as He will be when I am in heaven. But for now, I’m only partially aware of His closeness. That will change when I leave this earth and this "earth suit" for His heavenly presence. For those who belong to Jesus, He sees our death in this world as a rescue away from the evil, corruption, trauma, and flat out horror of this present world age.

Temporary Reality vs Permanent Reality

God is the only creator, there is no other. He made it all, whatever it is and wherever it is, both the animate and the inanimate. If it exists, He made it. If it exists, He owns it. Since He made it and owns it, He gets to do what He wants with it, He gets to determine its purpose and reason for being. And that includes the purpose and reason for being of you and me.

Have It His Way

This is Brother Mark. I've titled today's message "Have It His Way."

As the one and only Creator, God owns the creation...which is to say He owns everything, absolutely EVERYTHING...He fully owns this world and all that is in it. He fully owns every being, both in this physical realm and in what is to us the unseen spiritual realm. 

He made it all, He owns it all, He alone gets to decide what to do with it and what He wants to get out of it. He has His reasons for making it all. Whether anyone likes it or not, that's just the way it is. So get used to it. 

Just Who Does God Think He is?

In this episode, I want to talk about God's authority, rule, and ownership...of everything. Absolutely everything. 

You may find this uncomfortable or even scary. You may disagree with what I'm saying. It's your right to disagree. But I am confident in this: if you choose to disregard what I'm about to say, you do so at your own peril. If you let it, what I'm about to share will give you a new and wonderful perspective on life. 

He Can't Help Himself

Love is driven to express itself. Love demands an outlet. To be fulfilled, Love needs to give itself away. In a very real sense, the One who loves is driven to express and indulge Himself in the object of His love. In the human world, when you love a baby, it's hard not to want to hold and cuddle that little one and kiss all over the little baby's sweet face. 

What Drive's God?

For several months, I've felt the Holy Spirit leading me to contemplate this question: What drives God? What is so important about humanity that He would be willing to put up with all the pain this world brings to His heart? Here is what I believe He wants me to share with you.

The Buyer Has Spoken

As people, we usually think either too much or too little of ourselves. I doubt we often get it right the way God sees it. So, what is your real value? I believe I can help you find the answer. Even a seasoned Christian may find this answer surprisingly simple.

His Ideas vs My Ideas

This is what I'm hearing this morning. I hope this comes across as the encouragement it's meant to be. I will always want the very best for you.

Many times, the Lord's ideas about what's good for you aren't the same as your ideas about what's good for you. 

Much Bigger, Much Smaller: He is Both

I've long had a very expansive view of God. He is huge in all possible ways. I'm not really talking about physical size, understand. His knowledge is unlimited, His capabilities are immeasurable. But, over the last few years, He has been nudging me with a new sense of His size, and this is about the best way I know to describe it.

He is Especially Fond of You

Tonight, this is what I hear the Lord telling me to share. He is especially fond of you. Yes, you. He is also especially fond of this Sister over here and that Brother over there, and of each one in between. He has a special and unique fondness for each Christ follower. He loves us all the same, yet He loves each of us differently. That sounds like a contradiction, but it's not. Let me explain.

Not Getting an Answer?

There are times when we're desperate for God’s intervention, help, and deliverance, but He doesn't seem to show up. When you turn something over to God and don't feel like you're getting a working response from Him, there could be other factors holding things up.

Sing to My Heart

I absolutely love songs that draw me to Him. Songs that touch my heart. Songs that make me cry in a good way. Here's a couple of songs that I've really been enjoying lately. Even with good speakers on my computer, I prefer to listen over a nice pair of headphones; somehow it's easier to get lost in the song.

May your heart be deeply touched; may you be moved closer to God.

Thoughts About You

I am so grateful that our Father lets me pray the good things from His heart into your life. He is using all of the circumstances of your life, including the difficult ones -- maybe especially the difficult ones -- to shape you. He is very good at what He does.

I'm wondering about the dreams He has for you. I know just the generalities, and they're very good. Beyond that, I am also convinced that the details will be just as fabulous. It will all be seen when His full story is told.

In the meantime, embrace the mystery. It's a mystery He holds safely in His heart, and it's right to trust His heart. He is writing your part in His story in you, through you, and around you. I must say that the part He is writing for you is a part He really, really likes.

I would love to hear the tale of your life someday, not just the events and timeline, but the heart stuff you share only with someone who really cares about you. That's how God feels about sharing His heart stuff. 

If you really care about Him, He will share His heart with you.

I want to repeat something I've written previously. This is all really simple, beyond all the Scripture and theology. He looks at you and says, "Tell you what, you love Me with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength -- with all you've got -- and I'll love you with all My heart, soul, mind and strength -- with all I've got. Then we'll walk down this path together."

He's Not Your Drunk Uncle

Most of us know someone like this; maybe he's a relative or an acquaintance, or maybe you've only seen him on TV. Whichever, you'll know what I'm talking about. This person is the guy who shows up at a family reunion or picnic or some other family gathering and may already have had too much to drink. Sooner or later, he spills his paper plate full of food, stumbles around, says the wrong things, and generally makes everyone uncomfortable.

 

Everyone is embarrassed for him, but he doesn't have the sense to be embarrassed for himself. He just doesn't line up with the family's way of doing things. He just doesn't know how to behave. Frankly, when he shows up, everyone groans within themselves and thinks "Oh boy, here we go again." We'll call this man Your Drunk Uncle. He's definitely seen better days. He's your Dad's brother so you have to let him in, but boy, you wish it could be otherwise. 

Okay, you get the picture. Now let's listen in on a gathering of Christians.

Hey, look! Here comes our Heavenly Father! Oh, It's so good when He's here. I wish He'd show up more often! It's so good when He's with us. Oh, look again! It's Jesus! Wow! It's even better when He shows up. Let's make sure He feels really welcome! This is the best gathering ever!

Uh oh, don't look now, but guess who just came in the door. It's the Holy Spirit. Just when things were settling in and going smooth, too. What is He going to do this time? Isn't He ever going to learn how to behave? Doesn't He know how He's supposed to act when we get together? After all, we have our way of doing things and He just doesn't fit in!

A Pleasant Life

Probably the most common human view is that it's God's role to make people's lives pleasant. Even many Christians see God that way. When things aren't pleasant, we wonder just how God has messed up this time. Doesn't He love us anymore? Did He ever really love us? Why are we serving God if He doesn't respond in kind? Why are we going to church more or less regularly and sometimes even tithing and usually forgiving others if we feel like it and maybe even sacrificing something because it's the Christian thing to do? Why go through all of that if God doesn't make my life pleasant?

A Round of Mercy and Rescue, on the House, for the House

I've been thinking a lot lately about the Big Time need the folks on this planet, this nation (oh, this nation!), my family!, ME!, are in fresh need, huge need, overwhelming need of God's mercy and rescue. He has to supply these things, in abundance, or they just aren't going to happen. We cannot fix ourselves. Society can't fix us. Government can't fix us. False religion can't fix us.

That's why I've adapted a line from old TV Westerns about the bartender who yells "Drinks are on the House!", meaning free drinks for everyone in the place. It's usually done to conclude a fight scene or celebrate something big.

Midnight Madness Sale

This is about a strong sense I've had the last few days that, frankly, I don't recall ever having before. Here's what I'm feeling. I'll try to use as few words as possible.

All over the world, the Lord is sweeping people into the Kingdom in huge numbers and at a very rapid rate. He is very much enjoying Himself.

That's pretty much it, except that I also keep getting the sense of a Midnight Madness Sale, the kind that a large store would have the night before Christmas Eve. The kind where people are lined up waiting to get in, then pushing their way in, finally rushing through the store and down the aisles, grabbing things right and left and filling their baskets as fast as they can. A deep sense of haste and excitement and hurry hurry hurry fills the whole place.

The Three Salvations

(I expand on these thoughts in the Post titled "Sanctification, the Middle Stage of Salvation". That Post will make more sense if you read this Post first.)

I'd like to say that Faith and Trust are two sides of the same coin, but there's really far more to it than that. When done right, both Faith and Trust lead to a full dependency upon God's provision and redemption. What He does for us is so overwhelming and immeasurable that I'm likely to understate it no matter how I try not to.

For now, though, I'm leaning towards saying that Faith and Trust are two facets of a many-faceted diamond. In my metaphor, the diamond represents a person's fully reconciled and restored relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. That person is now free from God's wrath and ultimate judgement upon all that is unholy, unclean, and incompatible with His essence. A good Bible word that sums up that fully reconciled and restored relationship is "Salvation": Saved from myself, saved from His wrath, saved for His heart's delight.

Sanctification, the Middle Stage of Salvation

(This Post will make more sense if you read its companion Post, "The Three Salvations", first.)

I must say that one of the most important things I've learned over the years is that I'm not very good, not at all good, at fixing myself. At best, I can do a little around the edges, adjust around some weakness, put on a happy face, maybe make a new and improved habit or two, but I can't really fix the underlying parts of my essence that still need fixing. These are the deep parts of me that should pass away but don't. They keep hanging around, contaminating how I feel and think and act.

No matter how well we cover and disguise it, what's inside of us will come out some way some how, yes it will. No matter how difficult it is for these things to be fixed, I'm not excused from trying to fix them. I have to try -- woe is me if I don't try! -- but I also recognize that I'm really dependent upon the Holy Spirit to clean the inside of the cup. To be sure, there are days that I can make the outside of the cup look pretty good, but the inside? Let's be transparent and honest.

The One Thing I Must Have

We all have wish lists of things that we'd like. Take a moment now and think about what's on your wish list.

Maybe your wish list includes things like "I want my loved ones to be healthy, to be happy, to love the Lord and walk with Him all of their lives." The list may also include good health, more money, a better job, less debt, and freedom from some sin or pattern of failure. It could go down to things like a new roof for your house, a new car, new appliances and furniture. There are many other altruistic things that may be on your list, such as the desire to be fruitful in His service.

Like many folks, I've experienced great loss. I don't consider any of it exceptional, but it's been nonetheless very hard.