What are the first things that come to your mind in the morning when you get up? Do you immediately start setting priorities for the day or even the week? Thinking about the projects or deadlines that need to be met. Maybe you sit down and start jotting the items that should be done first, then second and so on. Possibly scheduling the work load or people that work for you so as to meet the customers requirements.
Where was the priority to fit God into your schedule or day? Was it first when you woke up or was it not even thought of? Did God get put on the back burner? Did your mind say I’ll check with Him tomorrow if I have time. I’m too busy right now to put God into the plans of the day. When things lighten up I’ll stop and plug God in. At the end of a day or week, how many times have you thought or even said to someone, wife, husband, or fellow worker, wow, what a messed up and terrible day!!
At this point what about thinking about how the day started! What frame of mind were you in when you woke up? Were you praising God for the nights rest and saying good morning Lord? Where and what was controlling your mind? If the day ended all screwed up and terrible, I bet God wasn’t brought in at the start or maybe He wasn’t included at all.
Do you have quiet time with God each day? Do you set time aside to read the word and pray? Matthew 6:33 says “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. This should be our first priority, not second or third!!
Mary and I have been very busy with the RFC (Racers for Christ) ministry this summer and this was a message that was given at one of the chapel services. Many came to me and said that it hit home for them. Getting priorities straight and putting God first or in the day sometimes is difficult. We have have had great attendance at the chapel services, many times more than 20 in attendance. It has been great to add field staff to the RFC ministry as well as several new chaplains in the state of Idaho. Several new race tracks have asked for or ministry to come on board. At one track, they have asked for us (RFC chaplains) to give an invoccation prayer on the start/ finish line before each race. We have added special music at some chapel services along with communion. It has been a wonderful blessing to serve the racing motor sports world.
Set your priorities correctly and see how great Gods blessings can be!!
In His service, Larry
]]>1 John 3:16–19 (ESV)
“16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. 19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him….”
Jesus demonstrated His love for us through clear, meaningful, measurable, sacrificial action. He laid down His life for us. This is the perfect picture of love in action. It was costly. It was undeniable.
We are called to follow His example. Notice the command, “we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
As I read a command like that, I immediately ask myself “What does that mean? What does it look like in my life?” A clue for us is in verse 17. It is simple, practical, real, and measurable expressions of love like taking care of a brother in need with the material blessings that God has given us.
In verse 18 John drives the point home! Love can’t just be something we talk about. It must be seen in deed (action) and truth (reality, sincerity). The cliché, “talk is cheap” comes to mind in this context. Talking about love is not enough. We must ACT in love.
What are some ways you can demonstrate God’s love towards someone today? Pray and identify some specific action steps you can take. Then put your love into action!
]]>Romans 12:1-2 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
God desires every believer to lead a righteous life as he calls us to Godly living. Presenting ourselves as a Living sacrifice means giving control of our lives to God by allowing the Holy Spirit to live through us. Our sacrifice needs to be Holy, set apart for a special purpose. It also states we are to be acceptable, like Jesus, forgiving, loving, and helping others; yet speaking the truth in love. This type of lifestyle will attract some people towards us and drive others away. As a living sacrifice we are not to be conformed to this world. As media tells us, we need to be rich, attractive, influential, or famous, to be happy or content. Rather, we’re to be transformed by the renewing of our minds by seeking scripture, focusing on Holy things of God, applying biblical truth to your heart, and learning to listen to God. Then you will know the perfect will of God for your life.
]]>I had the honor of giving the commencement address for the Class of 2011. As I listened to all of their stories the final week of school activities leading up to graduation, it was inspiring to see what the Lord had done in the lives of these young people.
As a body of believers at Lighthouse, we have the privilege of being a part of the ministry Lighthouse Christian School. It is a ministry that serves families all over the Magic Valley from many different church backgrounds…and lives are being built up, transformed, and prepared to live for the Glory of God.
I encourage you as part of Lighthouse to pray regularly for Lighthouse Christian School, for Kevin Newby, the school staff, and all of the teachers that work so passionately and diligently raising up these young lives. I would also ask that you would encourage the teachers for their work in the ministry every chance you get…they face many uphill battles and challenges…and most of the fruits of their labors will not be seen until years into the future.
I delivered a simple message to the graduates that I wanted to briefly outline for you here.
The text was 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18:
“Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Be Joyful Always
I urged them to reach for joy instead of chasing happiness. Joy is as deep as the ocean and full of movement and life. Happiness is a shallow pool and extremely fragile. Happiness can be found in joy, but joy is found in every season of life. Unlike happiness that is shattered like a wine glass in the face of trials, joy is strengthened as it presses through challenging times; as it is said in James 1:
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
Pray Continually
I encouraged the graduates to truly make prayer a part of every day. Prayer is one of those things that we talk a lot about, but it is easily neglected in the reality of our busy lives. It is a critical part of our walk with the Lord and our spiritual growth. It is a-ma-zing that we have access to the Creator of the Universe through prayer and that the Holy Spirit speaks to us in our hearts and directs our lives.
I gave them a few simple techniques to develop the gift and spiritual discipline of prayer, including using a prayer journal, prayer lists, praying though the Book of Psalms, and praying through the Lord’s Prayer. All of these have been very helpful for me over the years to stay focused while praying.
Pastor Newbry and I joke about an advanced form of ADHD we call AD3D…which is ADHD “in your face”. So many of us struggle with being able to avoid distractions while we pray, and all of these tools are helpful in seeking the Lord in prayer.
Give Thanks In All Circumstances
Philippians 4:6-7 tells us not to worry, but to come to God with everything in constant prayer. It also directs us to come to Him with thanksgiving. As a result, we will experience the peace of God beyond our comprehension.
When we are in trying times in our lives, it is important to be humble and thankful for all of the good things that the Lord has provided. It is too easy to focus on the challenges and not acknowledge the blessings of God and His promise to work all things together for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).
I finished my message to the students by singing a song that Pastor Greg and I wrote called “Willing”.
Our hope is that these lyrics will challenge us as a church to be willing to go where the Lord calls and do what He leads us to do….
I encourage you to read these lyrics as a prayer and seek the Lord where you are in your walk with Him right now. Pray this bold prayer that you are willing to follow where He leads you.
“Willing”
Fadness/Houser
You say, “Come, and follow where I lead”
You say, “Go, and teach the nations about me”
And I say, “Lord, can you use a heart like mine?”
And you say, “Yes, if you trust me with your life.I’m willing
I admit that I am scared, but I’m willing
Holy Spirit lead me there
I’m willing to go through the trials and the pain
So I’m able to bring glory to your name
To bring glory to your name, I’m willingYou say, “Die, and find your life in me”
You say, “Love, lift up the least of these”
And I say, “Yes, I know my life is not my own
And from now on until the day you bring me home”I’m willing
I admit that I am scared, but I’m willing
Holy Spirit lead me there
I’m willing to go through the trials and the pain
So I’m able to bring glory to your name
To bring glory to your name, I’m willingOn your knees in the garden there alone
You cried out to the Father that you love
“Father please let this cup pass from my hand,
But not my will, I surrender to your plan”I’m willing
I admit that I am scared, but I’m willing
Holy Spirit lead me there
I’m willing to face the suffering and the shame
So I’m able to bring glory to your nameFather, glorify your name, I’m willing
My wife Heidi and I recently attended a fundraising gathering for some friends in Nashville, Tennessee that are moving to Uganda next year with their two children because the Lord has called them. It is so incredible to see their family passionately respond to God’s call on their lives. We have been watching Him provide and shape them as they step out in faith.
What is God calling you to right now? Are you willing?
]]>Fanny Crosby became blind for life at the age of 6 weeks old through an error in treatment for a virus in her eyes. Fanny who loved Jesus never complained about her condition but rather developed a special gift the Lord had given her to write poems.
In her lifetime she wrote over 9,000 poems many of which were put to music and have become standards in church hymnals around the world. Some of the more famous ones include “Pass Me Not”, “Tell Me The Story Of Jesus” as well as countless others that have inspired and blessed the church over the past century.
Fanny once said that if God should offer her normal sight, she would decline it because when she reached heaven, the first face she wanted her eyes to behold would be that of her “blessed Savior”. One of her favorite verses was 1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Although Fanny Crosby was blind and could not see, she excelled in hope; her hope was her treasure. And this hope was more important to her than even her sight. She was a walking example of faith. 2 Cor 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.
]]>In John Chapter one beginning in verse 19 John the Apostle is writing about John the Baptist. John the Baptist was being grilled by the priests and Levites from Jerusalem. Demanding he answer their question, “who are you?”
He told them, “I am not the Christ, I am not Elijah, I am not the Prophet, but I am “A voice of one crying in the wilderness, „Make straight the way of the LORD,‟ as Isaiah the prophet said.”
Dude, John was proclaiming that he was the fulfillment of the prophesy 700 years prior! Isaiah said I would come and here I am! (Ron paraphrased)
That meant that the Messiah was coming, the Christ, the promised Savior would be right behind him. God told John how to identify the LORD. God said He will be the one whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the one who baptizes in the Holy Spirit. (vs 33)
Vs 29 tells us that the next day, did you catch that?, the next day John saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!… then in verse 34 John makes an even more profound statement about the Christ, he says, “And I have seen, and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
Are you listening? Are you hearing what John, the One Isaiah told us about is saying? The Christ, the Lamb of God, the One in Whom the Spirit descends and remains, is …. Get ready ….. HE IS THE SON OF GOD!
He is not a man to become God, he is not a man who becomes an angel, he is not just a good teacher with some moral ideas, etc. etc. etc. HE IS THE SON OF GOD.
Are you listening to the “voice of the one crying in the wilderness?” Hear him, receive what he is saying, act upon his cry…Matt 3:2 “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
The Bible teaches that BEFORE Jesus returns there will be those crying out during the tribulation hoping to turn the lost to Jesus, the SON OF GOD. There will be the 2 witnesses (Rev 11), there will be the 144,000 Jews (Rev 7 & 14), there will be 3 different angels (Rev 14) and …much more to be proclaimed until He comes.
But be sure of this, though no one knows the day and hour of His return, He is coming.
Hopefully, we as believers in the Son of God, are crying out to the lost, the crippled, the blind, and deaf. Our message is Jesus came, He was sacrificed on a cross as the Lamb of God, rose from the grave 3 days later, and is coming back again. Are you ready?
Be ready, Jesus is coming!
]]>In John 15:5 Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
Take a moment to consider Jesus as the life-giving vine. Sometimes we can get so busy with life and ministry that we forget that we are branches, and lifeless without the vine. We are fruitless without the vine. We must always stay connected and dependent in order to accomplish anything of value.
Let’s take note of a two powerful truths from this verse:
Perhaps a question this passage raises is, “What does it mean to remain in Him?” It means to stay right where you are. Don’t go anywhere that takes you away from a close, abiding relationship with Jesus. Stay completely dependent on Him every step of the way.
How can you begin to do this today? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
]]>The dictionary gives two definitions of aging and here they are. Which one would you prefer?
1 : to become old : show the effects or the characteristics of increasing age
2 : to acquire a desirable quality (as mellowness or ripeness) by standing undisturbed for some time. Wine is one of those things that get’s better with age. Cheese must be aged and if you invest in a CD it has its full value when it reaches maturity.
Rather than saying I am getting old I would prefer to say that I am maturing. Now maturing in the dictionary means: “to bring to full development”.
Yep, that’s me. I’m not aging I am being brought to full development.
My question to you this week is. Are you being brought to full development in your faith? Are you being seasoned and brought to full maturity as a Christian? Eph 4:11-13 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ .
Notice here how this maturity comes. It comes through the teaching and preaching of the word and through serving the Lord. This maturity also results in the building up of the church to a place of unity and of growing in the knowledge of Jesus. Age well in your faith, the body of Christ needs you.
]]>Interestingly this topic continues to crop up, or should I say, “weed up.”
Unfortunately, with certain ones that hold to having to live the law, there is a disconnect with the clarity of the Word of God. The New Testament debate was recorded in Acts 15. Verse 5 “…certain ones of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed, stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them (Gentile believers) and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.”
Peter refuted this false teaching and stood up in the assembly and said to them, “…and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by FAITH.” “Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?” “But we believe that we are saved through the GRACE of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”
Paul also corrects the Galatian believers who, according to Galatians 1:6, had quickly deserted their FAITH in Christ to live a different gospel, one that required living the LAW. Paul teaches that those who teach this type of gospel are “…disturbing you, and want to distort the gospel of Christ.” Paul warns them not to accept this false gospel no matter who may be the messenger. It is a lie and those who teach it are accursed. (verse 8 “but even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed.”)
Paul can be accused of being “anti-LAW” or undoubtedly offensive. But he cared enough for the people to risk his life to bring clarity to the fact that God does not justify men because they attempt to live the law. God justifies men by faith in Christ Jesus. Galatians 2:16
“… nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in
Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.”
Paul thoroughly explains the difference between being justified by faith and not the works of the Law in Galatians Chapter 3.
Questionably, why then do we need the LAW? In Galatians Chapter 3 Paul explains in verses 19-22
“Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. 20 Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one. 21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. 22 But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
He closes his argument in verse 24, “Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith”
Let the reader be aware, if you have committed yourself to living the LAW you are living in contrast to the Word of God and to the Gospel of grace.
In my personal background I was a follower of those who teach, “you must live the LAW to be saved.” The terminology was cloaked this way;
“We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel. “
This requires perfection first, and then salvation is available to you.
Moroni 10:32 tells us, “Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness: and IF ye shall deny
yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, THEN is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ: and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.”
I agree that my perfection is only in Christ. (see Gal 2:16 above)
But the Christ described above requires that you MUST FIRST deny yourself of all ungodliness and IF you do, along with loving God with all your might, mind and strength, THEN is his grace sufficient for you.
I had done a lot of good things, I was trying, though I knew I wasn’t perfect, I assumed that God was gracious enough to pardon me, because I had tried. But the teachers of the LAW say there is no try, you can and you must. These are the teachers Paul WARNS us about in Galatians Chapter 1 (see above) and, also in 2 Corinthians 11:3-5
“But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. 4 For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.”
Those who teach that you must follow their rules and instructions to be saved are well described by Paul in the forgoing verses. They teach another Jesus, another spirit, and another gospel.
We are reminded of the clarity of God’s Word in the Bible. Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been SAVED THROUGH FAITH; and that NOT OF YOURSELVES, it is the gift of God; 9 NOT AS A RESULT OF WORKS, so that no one may boast.
Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. 2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. 3 For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. 4 FOR CHRIST IS THE END OF THE LAW FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS TO EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES.
ROMANS 10:9-13
if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13 for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.”
Paul’s writings are clear; they are substantiated by the validity of the Bible. In my life “before faith in the Christ of the Bible” I would mock the truth of the above verses saying, “it’s only correct as far as it is translated properly.” Now I would respond and politely ask, “please show me where these passages have been incorrectly translated.”
When Isaiah wrote about man’s righteousness he described it in this manner;
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags ; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
If our greatest righteousness is nothing but filthy rags to God, those which are discarded and burnt, consumed by fire (a picture of judgment) then why would I try to defend my righteousness by saying I am living the LAW?
4 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
My plea for all of us is found beautifully stated in the Word of God, the book of Galatians (again)
Galatians 6:7-8 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; BUT HE THAT SOWETH TO THE SPIRIT SHALL OF THE SPIRIT REAP LIFE EVERLASTING.
Ya buddy! Reaping life by the Spirit, Ron Heath
]]>How many of us have had that inner feeling to do this or that? I think I’ll go this way or, no that’s the wrong way to do it! I’ll bet that all of us have tried something, done something or proceeded into a project and finally stopped and said WOW that was wrong. I knew it should have been done the other way from the start. This most often is that still small voice in side of us, God talking to us. Listen to me before you start or do that!
What are the first things that come to your mind in the morning when you get up? Do you immediately start setting priorities for the day? Thinking about the projects or deadlines that need to be met. Maybe jotting down the items that should be done first, then second and so on. Schedule the load or the people that work for you so as to meet the customers requirements.
Where was the priority to fit God into your schedule or day? Was it first when you woke up or was it not even thought of? Did God get put on the back burner? Maybe I’ll check with Him tomorrow if I have time. I’m too busy right now to put God into the plans of the day. When things lighten up I’ll stop and plug God in. At the end of a day how many times have you thought or even said to someone, wife or fellow worker, WOW what a messed up and terrible day!
What about going back and thinking about how the day started. What frame of mind were you in when you woke up? Where and what was controlling your mind set? If the day ended all screwed up and terrible, I bet God wasn’t brought in at the start or maybe He wasn’t included at all.
Do you have a quiet time with God each day? Do you set time aside to read the word and pray? Have you sot your heart and listened to the still small voice in side and said God I’ll let you set my priorities. Mathew 6 verse 33 says, But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. This verse doesn’t say second, third or last, it says first! This is a command and it should be our priorty as we start and set our daily priorities! God bless all.
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