It is interesting how the world comes to life. Birds are already singing at 4:30. This gave me the idea that maybe that is the way I should start my morning. So I quietly sing a hymn of praise and thanksgiving while my body tries to begin the day.

Songs in the morning don’t have to be songs of mourning either. In facts as the new day brightens so do the prospects for greater accomplishments during the day.

I don’t know if I am a total convert to early rising but I am for singing and cheerfulness for each day.

John’s first letter serves to bolster our confidence. The phrase “we know” occurs no less than 14 times in the brief letter. The Christian needs assurance to face the struggles of living in a wicked and fleshly world. So John lists for us things we can know and how we can know them.

(1) “Beloved, now are we children of God, and what we shall be has not yet been manifested; we know that if it is manifested we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).

(2) “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love [his] brother abides in death” (1 John 3:14).

(3) “And if we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, …”

(4) “… We know that we have the petitions which we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:15).

(5) “We know that every one begotten of God does not sin, but he that has been begotten of God keeps himself, and the wicked [one] does not touch him” (1 John 5:18).

(6) “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the wicked [one]” (1 John 5:19).

(7) “And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding that we should know Him that [is] true; and we are in Him that [is] true, in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:20).

(8) “And hereby we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments” (1 John 2:3).

(9) “… But whoever keeps His word, in him verily the love of God is perfected. Hereby we know that we are in Him” (1 John 2:5).

(10) “Little children, it is [the] last hour, and, according as ye have heard that antichrist comes, even now there have come many antichrists, whence we know that it is [the] last hour” (1 John 2:18).

(11) “And he that keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And hereby we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit which He has given to us” (1 John 3:24).

(12) “We are of God; he that knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. From this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (1 John 4:6).

(13) “Hereby we know that we abide in Him and he in us, that He has given to us of His Spirit” (1 John 4:13).

(14) “Hereby know we that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments” (1 John 5:2).

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It is too bad that we live in fear and doubt when God has told us we are winners, over-comers and conquerors. We we can boldly stand on ground given us by the captain of our faith. Don’t draw back but forge ahead in your faith reaching higher, richer and better blessings with every new success in the Lord.

Heaven and salvation is ours to lose if we so choose. Don’t let that happen.

John’s first letter serves to bolster our confidence. The phrase “we know” occurs no less than 14 times in the brief letter. The Christian needs assurance to face the struggles of living in a wicked and fleshly world. So John lists for us things we can know and how we can know them.

(1) “Beloved, now are we children of God, and what we shall be has not yet been manifested; we know that if it is manifested we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).

(2) “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love [his] brother abides in death” (1 John 3:14).

(3) “And if we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, …”

(4) “… We know that we have the petitions which we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:15).

(5) “We know that every one begotten of God does not sin, but he that has been begotten of God keeps himself, and the wicked [one] does not touch him” (1 John 5:18).

(6) “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the wicked [one]” (1 John 5:19).

(7) “And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding that we should know Him that [is] true; and we are in Him that [is] true, in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:20).

(8) “And hereby we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments” (1 John 2:3).

(9) “… But whoever keeps His word, in him verily the love of God is perfected. Hereby we know that we are in Him” (1 John 2:5).

(10) “Little children, it is [the] last hour, and, according as ye have heard that antichrist comes, even now there have come many antichrists, whence we know that it is [the] last hour” (1 John 2:18).

(11) “And he that keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And hereby we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit which He has given to us” (1 John 3:24).

(12) “We are of God; he that knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. From this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (1 John 4:6).

(13) “Hereby we know that we abide in Him and he in us, that He has given to us of His Spirit” (1 John 4:13).

(14) “Hereby know we that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments” (1 John 5:2).

.

It is too bad that we live in fear and doubt when God has told us we are winners, over-comers and conquerors. We we can boldly stand on ground given us by the captain of our faith. Don’t draw back but forge ahead in your faith reaching higher, richer and better blessings with every new success in the Lord.

Heaven and salvation is ours to lose if we so choose. Don’t let that happen.

Painting word pictures is a powerful teaching tool. A great story hangs in the heart. I always liked Tom T. Hall he made Clayton Delaney and the hitchhiking orphan boy a part of the fabric of our lives. Roger Miller could put us on a river bank or in a box car with just a few do wacka dos.

Tom’s and Roger’s stories standout in our minds because they speak to and from the commonality of human experience. Great stories take something we know and illustrate things we don’t. Roger was a master at turning a phrase upside down to make a point.

“I lack fourteen dollars havin’ twenty seven cents.”

What better way to say you wasted your rent money boozing it away? The song shows just how low one stoops to climb a high barstool. It does not pass our notice the sad story is set to happy music.

Tom T. Hall taught us the sage summation of what is most important in life “Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine.” Although we do not endorse the wine part we can agree that life is good because of the simple things.

A young carpenter from Nazareth was the master teacher because of his ability to couch divine enlightenment within farming acumen. He could profoundly portray eternal principles with paradoxical phrases. We remember that God elevates the humble because Jesus said “the first shall be last and the last first.”. We see the greatness of giving all by a widow sacrificing her meager mite.

Jesus could have had a big career in the country music business if he decided to live on Music Row. Instead the sweet story teller changed the world with his amazing way of living his teachings.

All those hours sitting in the hospital waiting room are still productive hours. Travel time can be filled with useful work. But, that constant connection to my inbox can steal family time, sleep and sabbatical rests. Nothing can ruin your day off like a message from the hyper critical fault-finder.

I’ve learned to turn off my phone for certain periods of the day. My daily prayer time and sermon prep time are two segments of my day where my phone is on silent. I know that my voicemail will work and texts will record for later when I am able to deal with them.

I quit reading email in bed. This helps avoid sleepless nights brooding over problems and news I can’t deal with until morning anyway. My wife appreciates me leaving work out of our family time.

I love twitter, texting and Facebook. They are great tools to share ministry information, keep in touch with people and news sites. But, they can rob time and attention from more important duties. I don’t check Facebook until lunch, twitter is not allowed to scroll or tweet freely on my phone or desktop computer.

I also use hootsuite to schedule most of my tweets and Facebook status updates. This way I only have to run them a few times per week. I try to automate posting of blog updates so that keeps me from having to visit FB, twitter, Google+ etc. several times per week. My ADD does not allow me to just read necessary posts I know I’ll chase cyber rabbits for 30 minutes for every perusal of Facebook or twitter read.

We need to learn to use our phones for God’s glory and not just work.

“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that the LORD’s table may be despised. When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the LORD of hosts” (Malachi 1:6-8)

Singing, praying, giving, serving and any other sacrifice to God must be our best. We have to watch ourselves carefully because the devil certainly tempts us to give less than our best. I remember an older preacher saying he always tried to be in bed before 10:00 on Saturday nights so he would be completely rested and be able to give his best the next day. I wonder if we might not benefit from that mentality? Do we sometimes stay up too late so we are bleary-eyed during worship? Can we be so rushed from getting ready that our hearts are not able to focus on the Holy One? My mother always layed out our clothes when we were children so everything was ready first thing Sunday morning. As we grew older she encouraged us to do the same.

Can it happen that we get so involved in recreation that our financial contribution to God suffers? Do we give only what is left and not what is right? Do we use all our energy earning a living so that God’s work gets only the leftovers at the end of a hard week? So often the Devil fills our lives with urgent things that steal away from the important and necessary. Our Father deserves much more than the minimums and the scrapings of what is left over.

Pray today for God to help us order our lives so we can give Him what is rightfully His. God gave a principle that should still be observed today…

But if ithas any blemish, if it is lame or blind or has any serious blemish whatever, you shall not sacrifice it to the LORD your God. (Deuteronomy 15:21)

It was 37 degrees this morning here in East Texas. I wore a jacket and a hat. It is nice.

Cool is a blessing. God made us so we can feel temperatures. We rejoice in the cool and are driven to pray for relief from oppressive heat. Pretty cool that cool is so cool. Enjoy the simple blessing of feeling the cool.

Remember even God enjoyed the cool of the evening (Gen. 3:8ff).

It is a purposeful person who seeks the Lord over self. The life of “More of Thee” is certainly one of self-denial. How do I learn to seek God first and then my own desires? How do I develop my mind to put away desire for selfish pursuits and fulfillments? I’ll admit that I am not really that good at it. Far too often I put my wants ahead of my duty to God. My weakness shames me more often than I like to admit.

The writer of Hebrews tells us of a few power things that will help us live “self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age” (Titus 2:12)

1. The Powerful Word of God (Hebrews 4:12). Spend time treasuring up the word of God will help us not to sin (Psalm 119:11). Bible knowledge and obedience sets us free (John 8:32). God’s book certainly reveals to us how to “flee lust” (2 Tim 2:22), hold fast to righteousness and scriptural instruction (2 Thes 2:15). It is an anchor to bind our affections to the Lord. Daily use of God’s Word will certainly help us to give less attention to our evil desires and more to the Lord’s will.
   
2. God’s All Seeing Eye (Hebrews 4:13). Knowing that God watches us should give us pause before we jump into selfish, self-willed living. As children we were much better behaved when our parents watched than when they were absent. Remember also that God is not watching us to just to crush us for wickedness. He is there to help us live better.
   
3. The Great High Priest Jesus (Hebrews 4:14, 15). Jesus offered sacrifice for our sins. He is in the presence of God working on our behalf. This perfect high priest who is the source of our salvation written in his innocent blood (Heb 5:9; Acts 4:11,12; 1 Peter 1:18,19). You could never ask for greater help or motivation for putting God first. Gratitude for all that Jesus is doing will drive us to submission more and more as we contemplate it.
   
4. The Power of Prayer (Hebrews 4:16). Don’t discount the help that comes from asking the Father for help. He loves to give to us all things that pertain to life and godliness (Jam 1:5; 17; 2 Pet 1:3). If we ask anything in the name of Christ we can receive it (Luke 11:19; John 16:23). Try asking God to help you become less you will receive grace to become just that.
   

Through Jesus I ask you Father please help me put you and your reign in my life first. Help my desires to dissipate while a love for you flourishes. Thank you for all the help you’ve already provided.

Oh, the bitter pain and sorrow
That a time could ever be,
When I proudly said to Jesus,
“All of self, and none of Thee.”
All of self, and none of Thee,
All of self, and none of Thee,
When I proudly said to Jesus,
“All of self, and none of Thee.”

Yet He found me; I beheld Him
Bleeding on th’ accursed tree,
And my wistful heart said faintly,
“Some of self, and some of Thee.”
Some of self, and some of Thee,
Some of self, and some of Thee,
And my wistful heart said faintly,
“Some of self, and some of Thee.”

Day by day His tender mercy,
Healing, helping, full and free,
Brought me lower while I whispered,
“Less of self, and more of Thee.”
Less of self, and more of Thee,
Less of self, and more or Thee,
Brought me lower while I whispered,
“Less of self, and more of Thee.”

Higher than the highest heaven,
Deeper than the deepest sea,
Lord, Thy love at last has conquered:
“None of self, and all of Thee.”
None of self, and all of Thee,
None of self, and all of Thee,
Lord, Thy love at last has conquered:
“None of self, and all of Thee.”

If you need prayer or help serving the Lord please contact me at Contact Me By Email

I’ve known several parents of children with various physical, developmental and mental struggles and issues. I applaud them for their hard work in caring for their children. Most of those parents relate to me the joys of having a special needs child. They tell stories of how the struggles are difficult but never a burden. I am grateful for parents who see the blessings in the difficulties.

What strikes me most is that a child who is discovering that she is different from other children is able to rest in the assurance that her parents love her and that God is caring for her too. I look at myself and see so many shortcomings, brokenness, frailty, failure and wonder “why did God make me this way?” Why do I find sin easier than doing right. Why is my heart easily swayed away from good to bad? I recall that Paul said very similar things in Romans chapter seven. In deep frustration with his frailty he questions; “Who will deliver me from this body of death?” He calls himself a “wretched man.” That is a common chord between Paul and me.

It takes some serious self-examination and Bible study to remember that God’s grace and love is sufficient to overcome my faults. Though I am unworthy God is kind enough to fix me in my weakness and then strengthen me to become whole in Christ (Rom 5:8; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 4:13). I am learning that it is my weakness that leads me to God’s strength. My frailty is fixed by the “Great I Am.” Today, I celebrate the joy of knowing God loves me. My journey to heaven isn’t threatened by my weakness if I will let Him guide and protect me.

Dear God, Thanks for helping me see you when all I can see is my own sins, sorrows and shaking faith. Forgive me for failing and cleanse me so I can be all you long for me to be.

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Seeking the lost was much easier before I started preaching full-time. Working outside of the church building offered a lot more opportunities to befriend non-churched people. I am not saying that everyone in our assembly is a saint but most of them are. Week after week my work focuses more on keeping the saved, saved than on seeking the lost. How did this happen? It is sort of the nature of church work to become a keeper of the flock instead of building a flock. So, my goal is to change that in my work.

Here is a prayerful plan of purpose for being more evangelistic:

Set a Specific Goal. Having a goal and committing to reaching it will pave the way to changing my schedule to include opportunities for evangelism. If I have a goal of evangelizing 12 people this year that means I have to find the time to do that. I need to find the places to do it and look for ways to follow through with it.

Plan The Plan. We fail to reach goals because we don’t plan for reaching them. Success is seldom unplanned. Good plans lead to finding a way to succeed when none seems to exist. Prayer and good hard brain strain is called for to decide how you are going to meet 12 new people this year and make opportunity to tell them about Jesus.

Work the Work. I wonder how many really wonderful plans are lost in committee? Hours of strategy laid out but never put into play. Getting things done happens when we get things done. Going from dream to actuality will only happen when we roll up our sleeves and start working the carefully laid out plan.

Recommit Every Day. People stay committed only when they review their success or failure and then adjust their efforts to accomplish their intended goal. Look at your goal, see if your plan is still viable, then follow through with enthusiastic work to reach your goal. Did I find a person this month to befriend? Did I make efforts to make a relationship with that person? Did I develop some interest in spiritual matters with that person? Did I tell them about Jesus? Which of these things needs changing to be successful?

Enjoy the Rewards. Nothing makes work more satisfying than seeing it completed. Sharing the gospel with people is a great work with many rewards. Not everyone you tell about Jesus will follow him but, you are successful when you plant the seed. You will make a lot of friends in this effort. Celebrate every victory and bask in the joys that come in ways you will not know until they come to you.

I pray that your goal will be to take Jesus with you everywhere you go. I hope you find a lot of open hearts who will receive the message of Christ. We’ve got to be ready to meet and befriend all kinds of people in all kinds of places. That is exciting let’s get purposeful with our Lord’s commission.

Share with us some of your goals for reaching out to the world with the message of Jesus. Do you have a successful plan? Make a comment or send me an email.

Joe Chase