Abide In Christ by Andrew Murray - Intro (Video Devotional)

Today, we begin reading together the classic devotional "Abide in Christ" by Andrew Murray.  The text of this book has been slightly edited for the modern reader.  Words, expressions, and sentence structure have been updated for clarity and readability.  When not noted otherwise, most scripture references are from the New King James Version of the Bible

Before we read the preface, we are going to read the scripture passage that this book is based upon...


“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you
.4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.
10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

John 15:1-11


Preface

During the life of Jesus on earth, the word He chiefly used when speaking of the relations of the disciples to Himself was, “Follow me” (Matt. 4:19). When about to leave for heaven, He gave them a new word, in which their more intimate and spiritual union with Him in glory would be expressed. That chosen word was, “Abide in me” (John 15:4).

It is to be feared that there are many earnest followers of Jesus from whom the meaning of this word, with the blessed experience it promises, is very much hidden. While trusting in their Savior for pardon and for help and seeking to some extent to obey Him, they have hardly realized the closeness of union, the intimacy of fellowship, and the wondrous oneness of life and interest to which He invited them when He said, “Abide in me.” This is not only an unspeakable loss to them, but the church and the world also suffer from their loss.

If we ask why those who have indeed accepted the Savior and have been made partakers of the renewing of the Holy Spirit yet come short of the full salvation prepared for them, I am sure the answer will, in very many cases, be that ignorance is the cause of the unbelief that fails to obtain the inheritance. If, in our orthodox churches, abiding in Christ—the living union with Him, the experience of His daily and hourly presence and keeping—were preached with the same distinctness and urgency as His atonement and pardon through His blood, I am confident that many would be found to accept with gladness the invitation to such a life. I am confident also that its influence would be manifest in their experience of the purity and the power, the love and the joy, the fruit bearing, and all the blessedness that the Savior connected with abiding in Him.

It is with the desire to help those who have not yet fully understood what the Savior meant by His command to abide in Him, or who have feared that it was a life beyond their reach, that these meditations are now published. It is only by frequent repetition that a child learns his lessons. It is only by continuously fixing the mind for a time on one of the lessons of faith that the believer is gradually helped to thoroughly understand them. I have the hope that to some, especially to young believers, it will be helpful to come for a month, day after day, and read over the precious words, “Abide in me,” with the lessons connected with them in the parable of the Vine. Step by step, we will get to see how truly this promise-precept is meant for us, how surely grace is provided to enable us to obey it, how indispensable the experience of its blessing is to a healthy Christian life, and how unspeakable the blessings are that flow from it. As we listen, meditate, and pray—as we surrender ourselves and accept in faith the whole Jesus as He offers Himself to us in it—the Holy Spirit will make the Word to be spirit and life. This word of Jesus, too, will become to us the power of God unto salvation, and through it will come the faith that grasps the long desired blessing.

I pray earnestly that our gracious Lord may be pleased to bless this little book, to help those who seek to know Him full.. I pray still more earnestly that He would, by whatever means, make the multitudes of His dear children who are still living divided lives see how He claims them wholly for Himself and how wholehearted surrender to abide in Him alone brings the joy unspeakable that is full of glory. Oh, let each of us who has begun to taste the sweetness of this life yield himself wholly to be a witness to the grace and power of our Lord.  May He keep us united with Himself and may we seek by word and walk to win others to follow Him fully. It is only in such fruit bearing that our own abiding can be maintained.

In conclusion, I ask to be permitted to give one word of advice to my reader. It is this: it takes time to grow into Jesus the Vine; do not expect to abide in Him unless you will give Him that time. It is not enough to read God’s Word, or the meditations offered here and, when we think we have taken hold of the thoughts and have asked God for His blessing, to go out in the hope that the blessing will abide. No, it requires time with Jesus and with God day by day. We all know the time required for our meals each day. Every workman claims his hour for dinner; the hurried eating of so much food is not enough. If we are to live through Jesus, we must feed on Him (John 6:57); we must thoroughly take in and assimilate that heavenly food the Father has given us in His life. Therefore, my brother or sister who wants to learn to abide in Jesus, take time each day, before you read, while you read, and after you read, to put yourself into living contact with the living Jesus, to yield yourself distinctly and consciously to His blessed influence. By doing so, you will give Him the opportunity of taking hold of you, of drawing you up and keeping you safe in His almighty life.

And now, to all God’s children whom He allows me the privilege of pointing to the Heavenly Vine, I offer my brotherly love and salutations, with the prayer that to each one of them may be given the rich and full experience of the blessedness of abiding in Christ. And may the grace of Jesus, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be their daily portion. Amen. —Andrew Murray

To Watch and Read the next devotional, click below:

Abide In Christ by Andrew Murray - Day 1 - All You Who Have Come To Him

Following Jesus Means Self-Denial by Rev. Reimar A.C. Schultze (What Next Booklet - Part 2)

 In our last blog post (which you can read here), we shared some wise words about following Jesus from a friend of mine. Pastor Reimar Schultze is a Holocaust survivor who emigrated to the U.S. in the 1950’s and now makes his home in Kokomo, Indiana. He has written a booklet entitled, “Now That You Are Born Again...What Next?” Today, I'd like to continue sharing from this little book in our desire to answer the question, “What does it mean to follow Jesus?”

Following Jesus Means Self-denial

“Then He said to them all, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me (Luke 9:23).” Here, Jesus tells us that you do not only need deliverance from sin but also deliverance from Self. So then, Jesus died on His cross to save you from your sin, but you must die on your cross to follow Him.  This is what Jesus had in mind when He told a group of Greeks who came to Jerusalem for the Passover: “...unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain (John 12:24).” This means you must forsake your life to get into His life and that requires self-denial. It means that your growth and fruit will come about as you crucify your Self. So it is not by self-assertion or by self-will, but only by dying out to Self that your roots go down in brokenness and humility, and that your spiritual branches spring upwards.

Instantly after conversion, you quickly discover that there is an enemy within you...something within

you that does not want to die, that does not want to go with you on this new journey of forsaking your old life. There is something within you that does not want to take time to go to prayer meeting, to witness for Jesus in public, to break up ungodly relationships or to abandon harmful old habits. You also discover that there is still a critical, murmuring, judgmental and self-seeking spirit within you. The Apostle Paul calls it: “...the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience (Eph. 2:2)” which is the spirit of Satan. It is also called the Self, the flesh, the carnal nature, the Adamic nature, and the old man.

Again, as soon as you are saved, you will discover that this Self within you protests and resents every step you take in following Jesus. You will notice a battle raging within you of the flesh against the Spirit. And that is why Jesus said that for you to stay with Him, you will need to take up your cross daily...This means that we must continuously resist and crucify the sinful nature whenever it raises its ugly head. This is why Paul said, “...I die daily (1 Cor. 15:31)” Remember, it was only a few seconds of not keeping his heart that took David into adultery; and it also took only a few seconds for Peter to deny his Lord. The Self within you will continue to choose the ways of convenience, of least resistance, of avoiding conflict and of seeking popularity. The way of the cross is not like this and it is generally despised by men, yet applauded by heaven. It is the only way to true happiness.

Take note that every morning the Self (and the devil) has plans for you that day, but so also does your Lord because the Bible says: “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord…(Psalm 37:23)” Which plans are you going to pursue? Who are you going to follow? Is it “your kingdom come” or is it “God’s kingdom come” that matters to you?  Is it "your will be done" or "God's will be done?" To whom will you turn over the control of your life from now on, to the old man or the new man?

The Self may want you to go to the wedding of a friend, but Jesus may want you to visit and pray with someone in a hospital. Are you going where Jesus wants you to go and have His anointing, or are you going where self wants you to go without Jesus and without His anointing? The Self may want you to buy a new television, but the Lord may want you to help a missionary in Africa with that finance. The Self may want you to work on a project at home, but God may need you to repair something at a widow’s house. My friend, be encouraged because every time you deny Self and obey god, you will receive the joy of the Lord as your reward. Once you begin to obey consistently, you will have a continual stream of peace and joy in the Holy Spirit flowing into your heart, refreshing you and others likewise.  Praise the Lord!

Self-denial is the first step towards obedience allowing you to do the will of God.  And nothing else matters in your life but finding and doing the will of God:  nothing more, nothing less, and nothing else.  Jesus said, "Behold, I have come - In the volume of the book it is written of me - To do Your will, O God (Heb. 10:7)"  That was His mission and He fulfilled it:  and now it is time for you to let Him fulfill that mission in you.  Let the Holy Spirit live in your body as He lived in Jesus' body 2000 years ago.  The first Adam lost paradise by disobedience, the second Adam (Christ) regained it by obedience.  May the Lord grant you the grace to obey Him in every future moment of your life.  

Because self-denial opens the way to obedience, it is the queen of all disciplines. It is the giving up of one thing to gain another.  For you as a Christian, it means giving your all to get God’s all. Say “yes” to self-denial. Armies cannot win without self-denial. Athletes must embrace it to win their trophies.  Graduate schools look for students who live by self-denial.  Airlines will only hire pilots who exercise it.  All significant advancements of mankind have originated from men who have embraced self-denial, and a Christian cannot be a Christian without continually exercising it.

Only the self-denying Christian can have unbroken fellowship with Jesus.  There is no room for a servant of Jesus Christ to engage in self-indulgence, or to get side-tracked by having his life cluttered with matters outside the perfect and acceptable will of God. 

Faith engages the heart (Romans 10:10), but self-denial and obedience engage the will.  Engaging the heart without engaging the will makes you fall short of having fellowship with your Savior: the heart grasps for the things of eternity; the will engages you into those things.  Therefore, Jesus taught us to pray:  "...Your will be done (Matt. 6:10)" and He also said:  "...whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother (Matt. 12:50)."

Following Jesus by Pastor Reimar A.C. Schultze (What Next Booklet - Part 1)

Those of us who call ourselves Christians began this journey with something the Bible calls “the new birth.” It is through faith in Jesus Christ that we are saved. Ephesians 2:8 tells us that it is “by grace you have been saved through faith...” For those of us who have received Christ through faith, Paul tells us “...if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Cor. 5:17) Having taken this step of faith, we now have everlasting life! (See John 3:16) The question remains for those who have taken this momentous first step...”What’s Next?”

Pastor Reimar Schultze, a Holocaust survivor who emigrated to the U.S. in the 1950’s and now makes his home in Indiana, has written a booklet that addresses this important question. I’d like to share some of his insights in this and the next several blog posts. These words are not only for those who have just been born again, but for those who may have had a conversion experience many years ago, yet never understood what the next steps were to be:

Congratulations on your birth in Christ Jesus.   It was the most important event of your life.  You have recognized your sinfulness and understand that Jesus died to save you from your sin.  You have repented and asked Jesus to live in your heart.  You have passed from death into life, from darkness into life, from a lost state into the arms of your beloved Savior, Jesus Christ.  And although you have barely begun your journey with your Lord, simply by repenting of your sins, you have already created a stir in heaven, for the Scriptures say: "...there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:10)."

But now, we must address the monumental question as to what is next.  First, we shall go to the book of Genesis, to the beginning.  And here is the answer plain and clear: Man was created to walk with God.  We learn that Adam and Eve were placed in a garden to walk with God; we hear of Abel walking with God; and then of Enoch of whom it says: "And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him (Gen. 5:24)."

For this reason, we are born again to walk with God, because man had been driven out of paradise because of sin.  But there is another paradise for us today.  It is the paradise of His presence which we enter by receiving and following Jesus.  This is why, immediately after Jesus chose His disciples, he called them to follow Him. "And as He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office, and said to him, 'Follow Me.' And he arose and followed Him (Mark 2:14)."  

You must understand that conversion belongs to a moment, but following Jesus is your life-long calling. It is your new purpose in life and everything must flow out of it...Jesus said: ."..where I am, there My servant will be also"...and this means that from now on you live all your life together with Him –all of it, all the time.

Hence when Jesus was on earth, He insisted that His disciples be with Him 24 hours a day, seven 

days a week even as He also was with His Father 24/7. He never gave His disciples a day of vacation from His divine presence, neither did His disciples ever seek any leave from Him. And in order that this intimate fellowship with Jesus would continue after He left the earth, He, on the day of Pentecost, moved religion from the outside to the inside by sending the Holy Spirit to dwell in every disciple’s heart as His representative. 

There is nothing less that is worthy of the name, “Christianity:”Christ’s disciples being with Jesus. And again this is only possible when you follow Jesus. It is the only method by which you can have the peace, the strength, the joy, the love, the fellowship, the protection, the revelation, the provision, the inspiration, the renewal and the daily refreshing of your heart that you need for consistent victorious living. You must realize in your heart that any moment that a disciple is not with his Master is an invitation to trouble. But while you are following Him, everything that God has for you will come your way in His own time (Matt 6:33).

There is no life for the Christian except in following.  There is no discipleship without following.  Practically speaking, it means that from now on, you will no longer go to and watch a soccer game unless Jesus goes with you and if He does, you will go as an evangelist and not as a spectator.  Following Jesus means you will no longer go on a vacation unless He goes with you, and it means you will no longer have lunch with a friend unless He goes with you.  If He does not go with you, it means that He has other plans for you for that time.  Yes, this is what Jesus meant by saying "where I am, there My servant will be also."  But, of course, it is best for you to let Him make the choice in the first place about the soccer game, the vacation or the lunch (that is why you need to learn to hear his voice).  

Now then, what all is in following?  What does it really mean to follow? 

Following Jesus Means Forsaking All

 “So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple (Luke 14:33ll); “And He said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ Then they immediately left their nets and followed Him (Matt: 4:19, 20).” In order for you to follow Jesus, you will need to likewise forsake your nets, which means to forsake all that may hold you back from following Him. That is why Jesus said: “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it (Matt 10:39).” As long as you make your own plans, you are losing your life and you are blind. But once you seek God’s plans, you will find your life and you shall see.

It is vital to understand that forsaking all includes all of your plans, all of your priorities, all of your schedules, all of your attachments, all of your goods, all of your finance, all of your relationships, and all of your past religious practices that stand in the way of you being where Jesus wants you to be.  Jesus said: "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon (Matthew 6:24)."

Jesus rejects the gray areas in your life. Christianity is an either/or religion. Whatever you refuse to forsake is the very thing that will prevent you from following Jesus.  Many people, called and chosen by God, soon refuse to forsake something in their lives which prevents them from continuing in their discipleship. It could be a habit; it could be a sport; it could be an occupation or it could be an adulterous relationship. Will you be one of those who will keep holding on to something, be it ever so small, preventing you from following; or will you be one of the few who go on the narrow way of this new life, giving your all to your Savior as He gives His all to you? 

 My friend, it is only on this narrow way that the glory of the Lord bursts forth in its beauty and it is only on this narrow way that you experience the fruits of the kingdom of God: “...righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17).”  And indeed, your willingness to go on the narrow way indicates that you are willing to be rejected, mocked, persecuted, and ridiculed by men, yes, even unto death if necessary.  When Jesus truly calls you, He requests that you die daily, inwardly first and for a few disciples, physically as well.  "A servant is not greater than his master...(John 15:20)."  Jesus said: "...because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it (Matthew 7:14).

To Read Part 2 (Following Jesus Means Self-Denial), click here.

You can order Pastor Schultze's booklet "Now That You Are Born Again...What Next" as well sign up for his free newsletter by following this link:  Schultze.org

A shorter version of this article appeared in The Posey County (IN) News on January 15, 2019



Below is a link to a previous article on this blog written by Rev. Schultze:

The New Evangelism...Contemporary...Sleek...Appealing...and ABOMINABLE! (Reimar Schultze) Part 1

Confessions of a "Keto-Newbie" Pastor (Who Has Been Eating The Wrong Stuff All His Life!)

It's been great for her, but...

I've watched my wife really take charge of her health with God's help in the last year. I admit, I was a little skeptical when she started talking about the ketogenic diet, even though she is an RN and now a nursing instructor. So much of it "went against the grain" (pun intended!) of what we've been taught for decades about our health. Food pyramid, low-fat, low-salt, eat whole grains...all of these things we've been buying into have resulted in an obese society, yet they have a stubborn hold on us. When I would see her eating large amounts of fat...well that just seemed wrong! Yet, I could't deny the truth...it was right in front of me. Not only has she lost 48 lbs. on it and be able to maintain this for almost a year, but her blood sugar levels began to return to normal. It took a diagnosis of "pre-diabetic" last September to get her attention. But since then she has really paid attention...and it's been paying off, not only for her, but for those she has been influencing...and I'm one of them.
I wouldn't say I've gone into this kicking and screaming...but it's close!

So, a couple of weeks ago I felt to take the plunge myself. My primary reason was not weight loss, although I could definitely lose a few. I'm on two blood pressure medicines, and I would like to eventually get off of those. The doctor tells me it is genetic and their's nothing I can do about, but I'm not buying that. I've also had a problem with GERD (reflux) for years. One thing that really got my attention (besides my wife's success story) is that my sister has been getting results after only a few months. She shared with me that her reflux issue disappeared after a short time.
It's not easy leaving the junk food lifestyle!

It's not been an easy changeover from eating sweets, lots of carbs, and other things that are not good for me to much more healthy foods, but I already know that it's going to be worth it. Just last night, I attended a church service that went rather late, and I noticed that I wasn't sleepy at all. Normally, I would have been fighting sleep as I don't keep late hours normally. I'm also not hungry all of the time. When I am hungry, I eat...but I eat the right foods which fill me up and keep me from running to the fridge. I'm amazed that I don't even want the nightly bowl (or two!) of cereal that has been my mainstay for way too long!
Educate Yourself!

I've been spending quite a bit of time educating myself about this. After watching a number of videos from MD's and other doctors who have been studying this for awhile, and after reading material from many of them, I've come to the conclusion that my wife and many others have known for awhile. We've been duped! We've been sold a line of goods that low-fat, high carb dieting is the way to go. It has so permeated our thinking that we can't get our brains around the truth...God made bacon, butter, coconut oil, etc. He did not make "Country Crock", "Cheese Whiz", and "Doritos" (to name a few of the thousands of fake foods that we ingest daily). Just the other day, someone shared an article from USA today in which one of these so-called "experts" declared that coconut oil is poison. Really? And processed sugar, white flour, and GMO corn is not? We've been listening to these "experts" way too long! (Watch this video for the truth about coconut oil... Amazing Coconut Oil Benefits: MCTs)
We are abusing our bodies!

As a pastor, the scripture teaches me that I am responsible for the souls of those who sit under the sound of my teaching. But I also feel the responsibility for their "whole persons", including their bodies. As well, I feel a responsibility to the entire body of Christ, to live a life and a lifestyle that is pleasing to the Lord. Most pastors may do well at refraining from abusing their bodies by drinking too much alcohol, by smoking, or by using illicit drugs, but how many (including myself) have abused our bodies by constantly imbibing junk with no nutritional value...and great harm to themselves. How can I live a spiritually disciplined lifestyle and yet nutritionally be very undisciplined? I don't think that's gonna work!
Is this really our Creator's perfect plan?

We spend so much time praying for and ministering to those who are victims of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and a myriad of other 21st-century diseases that in past generations were rare or relatively non-existent. We should be asking ourselves a very pertinent question...WHY? What's going on that is causing our bodies to break down so much more quickly than our Creator intended? Is it possible that it's what we are eating? I really think so.
What is really biblical?

So, as a "keto-newbie", I'm going to share here and in other places what I'm learning. I still plan of course to share more "biblical" topics here as God gives them to me. (Yet, I also am thinking...what's more biblical than taking care of and maintaining our bodies as "temples of the Lord?") I'll be learning and sharing as I learn. In the meantime, I'd love to have your feedback!

What Is A Ketogenic Diet Anyway?
Below are a couple of videos that give the basics of a Ketogenic diet. I would also recommend the book, "The Keto Cure" by Dr. Adam Nally. This really opened my eyes to why the last fifty years of nutrition teaching has been wrong, what ketosis actually is (you can learn about this in the videos below as well), and especially the effect that government policy and crop subsidies has had on our diet (hint...it's not for the good!)

Video #1 Dr. Ken Berry is very good in explaining this in a very simple way...
Note...I don't necessarily endorse everything he says about our ancestors. I don't believe in evolution and this type of teaching leads into that..)

Video #2 Dr. Eric Berg is also very good...

The Angel of Marye's Heights - A Civil War Story

My wife and I recently took a trip to Virginia and Washington, D.C. During that time, we visited a number of historical sites, including several Civil War battlefields. As an American History buff, this was like a dream for me (and my wife actually enjoyed herself there, too!). It was amazing to follow the route of Grant and Lee’s 1864 Wilderness campaign, to stand on the ground at Chancellorsville where “Stonewall” Jackson was shot by his own men (he would die a few days later), and to walk the Sunken Road at the base of Marye’s Heights at Fredericksburg.

Fredericksburg was one of the most interesting sites to us. If you know anything about the battle that took place there in December of 1862, it was like Pickett’s doomed charge at Gettysburg in reverse. Instead of Confederates charging up a hill into the teeth of well-entrenched Union batteries (as Pickett would later do at Gettysburg in July, 1863), Union infantry at Chancellorsville would charge up a steep incline to disastrous consequences, as they were pummeled by Confederate artillery stationed on the top of a ridge called Marye’s Heights and by Confederate infantry stationed behind a stone wall in front of the Sunken Road below. It was there that Robert E. Lee was said to have famously declared, “It is well that war is so terrible - otherwise we would grow too fond of it.”

While there on the battlefield, I saw a large bronze statue at the end of the rebuilt stone wall. Being the only statue on the premises, I was drawn to see what this unusual site was. It was a monument not to any of the great generals of the battle, but to an obscure sergeant in the Confederate Army by the name of Richard Kirkland. Following is an account of Sergeant Kirkland’s fascinating story:

When night fell after the day’s pitched battle, countless (overwhelmingly Union) soldiers lay freezing and dying on the ground, where both sides could clearly hear them crying out for

water, the injured becoming understandably more dehydrated than the healthier men behind cover. Hearing these dying pleas, Confederate soldier Richard Rowland Kirkland, decided to do something about their pain. Kirkland asked the commanding general if he could head out to the battlefield and provide water to the disabled men, but Kirkland was initially denied. However after listening to the men’s cries a while longer, Kirkland pressed the point and the general allowed him to take to the exposed battleground and provide aid. Kirkland’s request to carry a white flag so that he would not be shot by the active Union soldiers was denied. Undeterred, the brave soldier set out with his canteen to soothe the dying men. At first apprehensive, the Union forces soon caught on to his charity and did not fire on Kirkland. The generous soldier was able to make several separate trips out onto the battlefield with water, each time risking being shot by the tense men on either side. Kirkland’s selfless actions earned him the nickname, “The Angel of Marye’s Heights.” (source – Atlas Obscura).

The Sunken Road...Marye's Heights is on the right...
the stone wall on the left

Think of that! Of all the stories of bravery and heroism that could be told at this iconic site, the one that the generation following the war deemed most worthy to memorialize in bronze was this story of mercy. A Rebel reaches out a hand of mercy to his Yankee opponents...and is forever remembered.

This reminds me of a verse in James:

...judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment. (James 3:13 NIV)

“Mercy triumphs over judgment.” What a stunning statement! God is indeed a God of justice, and because He is a just God, no sin can be excused. In fact, in Romans 1:20, Paul boldly states that all mankind is “without excuse.” He later states “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Yet God’s mercy triumphs over judgment. The only way for His mercy to triumph over His perfect justice was for someone to pay the penalty of sin for those under judgment. Someone had to come over the wall to save us, rebels though we were. That Someone was God’s only Son, Jesus Christ. Paul sums this up this way: “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Co. 5:21). Jesus Christ did far more than Sergeant Kirkland did for his enemies, heroic though that action was. Jesus gave His very life for me and for you. Because of His greatest of all sacrifices, we now have the opportunity to have fellowship with God today. As well, we know that we can only receive mercy from God when we show mercy to others. Let’s follow Richard Kirkland’s example and show mercy to others today!

This article originally appeared in The Posey County News in my column "Pastor's Perspective."

–-------------------------

Below are a few more pics (and one short video) of our Fredericksburg visit:

The Robust Christian Man (Father's Day)

One of the more popular words that we see in the news these days is “robust.” We use this word to describe something that is strong and hardy. Just a quick check of this word in recent news articles revealed things like “robust jobs report,” “robust demand,” and “robust oil prices” (not exactly a good thing!). I looked up the origin of this word and found something very interesting. It comes from the Latin word “robustus” whose literal meaning is “as strong as oak.” It conveys the image of a sturdy tree whose roots go down deep. Winds may blow, storms may lash strongly against it, but it remains undisturbed.

The Bible actually likens a man who follows God to such a tree. Read these words from Psalm 92:

The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree,
He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
Planted in the house of the Lord,
They will flourish in the courts of our God.
They will still yield fruit in old age;
They shall be full of sap and very green,

Although this verse can apply to both men and women, since we are near Father’s Day, we’re going to apply it to men today.

Notice first for all that this robust man is righteous...that is, “right with God.” He is one who flourishes like a strong tree. In Psalm 1, it describes this same type of man as being “...like a tree firmly planted by streams of water.” It is in his right relationship with God that “the righteous man” flourishes. It is in that relationship that he is “firmly planted.” The truth is that without God, our lives are far from robust. Though outwardly we may seem to flourish, yet inwardly there is no firm foundation.

Secondly, notice that this “righteous man” is planted in the house of the Lord. I’m afraid in our culture, church attendance has become optional, even for those who call themselves Christians. This is especially true of men. Somehow to be a spiritual man is considered “unmanly.” To pray and take our families to church denotes weakness to many men. Yet, actually the opposite is true. A flourishing man...a robust man...is one who is spiritual. He is “planted in the house of the Lord.” He is the man who finds himself in church...every time the doors are open! How we need these kind of robust Christian men in our culture!

Finally, we also note that this spiritual man of robust faith bears much fruit in his life. Not occassional fruit, but consistent fruit...even down to his old age. Psalm 1 says of this man that “in whatever he does, he prospers.” This is because he doesn’t live a selfish life. He doesn’t live on “Me Mountain.” He is productive in the way that he relates to his fellow man. He gives of himself to others. He gives his time, treasure, and talent to God’s kingdom, asking nothing in return. In his latter years, he is the family patriarch, “full of sap and very green!”

Men, don’t you want to be a man like that? Women, don’t you want your husbands, fathers, and sons to be that kind of a man? Believe it or not, these type of men really do exist today! I would encourage you men to become that kind of man. Start this Sunday by going to a Bible-believing church in your area. Begin to read God’s word. Pray to Him daily. Ask Him to make you the kind of man that you want to be...the kind of man that you know you should be...a robust Christian man!

(This article originally appeared in The Posey County News...June 12, 2018)

A Soldier's Prayer

We attended a Memorial Day event at a local cemetery in our small town this morning.  A friend of mine, State Senator Jim Tomes, a veteran of the Vietnam War, shared a moving tribute to our veterans.  In his tribute, he shared the piece below, which I am sharing here in honor of our veterans:

In 1972, in an underground newspaper of the Samizdat, there was published the text of a prayer. It had been found in the jacket of a Russian soldier, Aleksander Zatzepta, composed just a few moments before the battle in which he lost his life in the Second World War:

“O God, hear me! 

Not once in my life have I ever spoken to you, but today I feel the urge to make you an act of worship.

You know that even from my infancy they always told me that you didn’t exist... I, stupid, believed them.

I had never marveled at your great works.

But tonight I looked up from out of a shell hole at the heaven of stars above me!

And fascinated by their brilliant magnificence
All at once I understood how terrible the deception...

I don’t know, O God, if you will give me your hand.
But I say this to you, and you understand.

Isn’t it strange, that in the midst of a terrible inferno, the light should appear to me and I should have discovered you?

Beyond this I have nothing to say to you. I am happy just because I have known you.

At midnight we must attack,
But I have no fear, you are looking out for us.

It is the signal. I have to go. It was wonderful to be with you. I want also to tell you, and you know it, that the battle will be hard: it could be that, in this very night, I’ll come to knock at your door.

And even though up to now I haven’t been your friend,
When I come, will you let me come in?

But what’s this? Am I crying?

My Lord God, you see what has happened: only now I’ve begun to see clearly...

Farewell, my God, I am going. It’s scarcely possible that I’ll return.

Strange; Death now has no fear for me.”

– The Most beautiful Prayers in the World, V Cattona (ed), Mondadori, Italy, 2006. Translated by Jim Christensen

Content taken from the website Plough.org.