The struggle is part of Jesus’ story through you.

It’s okay to struggle with God, Abraham did. It’s okay to laugh at God, Sarah did. It’s okay to wrestle with God, Jacob did. It’s okay to disagree with God, Moses did. It’s okay to question God, Mary did. It’s okay to fail God, Peter did. And it’s also okay to hide from God, the Eleven did.

Each person only knew what they knew when they knew it. And they couldn’t know anything different until their brains were exposed to something new. Until then, they could only make choices consistent with what they knew at the time they knew it.

It wasn’t until the Spirit, however, brought a truthful thought into their brains that they would struggle, laugh, wrestle, disagree, question, fail and hide from God with this new truth encounter with God.

They had to come to the realization that their choices were not consistent with the truth that would bring life, joy and ultimate fulfillment into their lives. And when they did, they now had a choice to make, a very hard one indeed. They could now choose to kill the old lie based thought in their brain by thinking and choosing to act on the new truthful thought entering their brain.

Oswald Chambers stated this choice so eloquently when he wrote, “If you do not put to death the things in you which are not of God, they will put to death the things that are of God.”

Each person resolved to put to death the thoughts that were not of God in order to experience the new life God had for them to know in their everyday lives.

This will not be easy. But know this. Each one allowed the Spirit to build their faith, a little at a time, in order for them to experience the Father in ways they could have never imagined.

They did. And so can you and I.

“Don’t tell the Father how big your problems are. Tell your problems how big your Father is!”

Israel had a huge problem – short memories.

They had smelled the rotten cattle and bloodied water. Tasted the lamb that kept them alive while hearing the cries of Egypt’s firstborn dying, including Pharoah’s. Touched the plunder of Egypt – among other things gold, silver and precious gems. And seen the Egyptian army annihilated.

They had experienced their God with every sense that fed their brains this truth: The One God of their fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had showed His power through freeing them from slavery, while showing Egypt’s 1,500+ gods to be powerless to stop Him.

They were now literally walking toward a home they had only heard about in stories. Yet, when they hit their first challenge – hunger; they forgot what their God had just done rather than magnifying Him in light of that challenge.

Focusing one the former leads to a downward spiral, which only drains your hope and wipes away any smile you might have. Focusing on the latter leads to rejoicing.

No, we are not sadists, but realists. We know from past experience that our Father can solve our current challenges. And, as we focus on this truth, peace comes to our minds and a smile to our faces. (Phil. 4:4-7)

You can be the influence that leads others to Jesus. Let them see your trust in what your God has done in the past as He can do it again.

“Jesus disciples have to overcome the pressures of modern western culture and life-style and restore a healthier attitude toward obedience to and hearing from God’s Word.” Joseph Shulam

I was in a conversation with a group of law enforcement officers who were discussing challenges they faced. It soon dawned on me that the deeper issue was that our nation has greatly shifted away from Judeo-Christian values.

Did you now that Scripture, though, doesn’t talk about values? The word value is only used in Leviticus 27; and, it has nothing to do with how one lived!

Scripture does talk, however, about commands and truths. And when practiced, they will transform lives to a greater value whereby both men and women, no matter their race, will be filled with a purpose that brings peace.

Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39)

If His followers practiced just these two commands, the need for law enforcement would decrease. There was a documentary done on a town that actually did this. Guess what happened? The police force shrank due to near 0% crime rates.

Jesus, the light of the world, said, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16). As Jesus followers’ lives are transformed, they affect those around them for the greater good.

Jesus called His followers salt, who bring peace to others. And when peace reigns peace officers are no longer needed. Yet, if salt loses it saltiness, or it’s reason for being, it gets stepped on (Matt. 5:13; Mk. 9:50), meaning people suffer; thus, the need for peace officers.

Transformed lives by Spirit empowered obedience to God’s truth, not societal norms and mores, not only changes lives, but cultures and nations as well. And changed cultures start by changed hearts, not just laws, of those who have seen the truth lived out in the daily grind of life by those who follow Jesus.

Let those around you taste and see that the Lord is good! Choose to live as salt and light – a life transformed by and into Jesus.

“I have read many books, but the Bible reads me.” Karl Barth

I read a story about a believer in Jesus from a Muslim background. This person was looking for peace in their life. They were raised in an Islamic home and country where they studied the Quran. Yet, this person still came away unsettled in their mind and heart. 

After reading the Bible, however, they felt the peace of mind they were longing to personally know. This eventually led them to a personal relationship with the Living Word of God – Jesus.

I’ve also read stories from believers who give all kinds of excuses for not reading, let alone studying, the Bible. “I don’t have time.” “It’s too hard to understand.” Thus, they rely heavily on the voices of others about the Bible, rather than on the voice of Jesus from the Bible.

The Word of God is “living and active…discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12) The Word of God is the most powerful tool to process out the garbage thoughts that steal our peace of mind and heart.

Excuses for not reading through the Bible in a systematic way will keep you from the peace you so crave. So, choose to override your excuses with a choice to do it anyway. The days in which we live demand we hear from Jesus!

As I friend of mine once said, “When you don’t want to do something you know you should do, do it anyway.”

We try to do a great deal for Him, when Christ would rather we live a great deal with Him.

Life is not about what we do for Jesus, as He already did it all for us on the cross. No, it’s about knowing Him better while living with Him.

Each day we are confronted with an entirely new set of choices to live with Him. But sometimes, it seems like we are on the treadmill of previously faced battles. This can be tremendously discouraging. Why keep going if losing still hangs around?

Paul encourages us, though, in Galatians 6:9, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” It’s a done deal. We will eventually be completely changed.

So, when the enemy brings up memories of past defeats, remember something else Paul wrote. God the Father saved us, past tense, not because of our victories, but through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Spirit (Titus 2:5).

It’s not a sign of failure when old fights resurface. It’s praise time, which encourages us to keep going. Why? It’s a done deal! Saved and washed now, give us that same hope that we will reap a harvest if we keep focusing on living with Jesus.

Be encouraged. Trust in the promise of Scripture – in God’s timing, whether here on earth or when we see Jesus, final victory assured!