A Christian Walk Unfeigned

Romans 12:1-2

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

To kick off this post, I'd like to quote a famous prolific writer, preacher & pastor in 19th Century England by the name of John Charles Ryle [1816-1900] -

“Begin reading your Bible this very day. The way to do a thing is to do it, and the way to read the Bible is actually to read it. It is not meaning, or wishing, or resolving, or intending, or thinking about it; that will not advance you one step. You must positively read. There is no royal road in this matter, any more than in the matter of prayer. If you cannot read yourself, you must persuade somebody else to read to you. But one way or another, through eyes or ears, the words of Scripture must actually pass before your mind.”

~ J.C. Ryle

The verses noted from Romans 12 contain a body-mind connection. Consider the commitment and steps necessary in developing a godly lifestyle. Paul was urgently warning believers not to be conformed to the world. If we're leaning toward compromise in our Christian walk, then the greatest danger today is an ungodly testimony. But, it doesn't stop there. Like tracking dog dung we've stepped on and soiling our house; likewise a worldly Christian drags in his worldly ways into the church and contaminates everyone he comes in contact.

Here's how it works: Through ungodly relationships and the impact of media, we're being influenced by people who are not following God's ways. Our society tells us to put self first, take what we want, protect our rights, and promote our own interests above others' interests.

In contrast, Jesus said that our heavenly Father will provide what we truly need (Phil. 4:19), we are to deny self and follow Him (Luke 9:23), and the humble - not the proud - shall receive honor (James 4:10). Conformity to the world's ideals will lead us away from God.

At the same time, Paul urges us to:

1. Present our bodies as a living sacrifice, which is a reasonable thing to do considering what the Lord did for you and me at Calvary. We are also to make our sacrifice holy & acceptable unto the Lord. How is that done? Romans 6:12-13 states, "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God."

Confer with I Cor. 6:19-20. Of interest is the word present, which denotes the action of bringing and presenting an animal or other sacrifice before an altar (which is an Old Testament picture). It implies that the action was a free and voluntary offering. The act of freely devoting ourselves to God is one of the most loving acts that we will ever perform. And, it happens on a daily basis.

2. Pursue godly transformation of our minds using God's word as compass and ballast. It means to set our thoughts on things above (Col. 3:2) and to focus on what is true, right, pure, and admirable (Phil. 4:8). Adopting a Christian worldview will lead to Christlike actions. It requires making adjustments in how we view life until our thoughts line up with Scripture. We must also protect our minds with Biblical truth and surround ourselves with mature believers who can warn us when we start to stray.

Make no mistake, Friend, you cannot even begin on this Christian walk without first settling your old account of sin (Rom. 6:23; Jn. 3:1-7; Rom. 10-9-10).

Please understand that believers are exhorted to offer a sacrifice that will be acceptable to God; that is, such a one as He had just specified, one that was living and holy. No sacrifice should be made which is not acceptable to God. Don't even try.

The offerings of the pagan; the pilgrimages of the Muslims; the self-inflicted penalties of the Roman Catholics, are all uncommanded by God and Scripture. They are not and cannot be acceptable to Him. Those services that will be acceptable to God are those only which He appoints. People are not to invent services; or to make crosses; or to seek persecutions and trials; or to provoke opposition; or to withdraw themselves from society and live in isolated, austere surroundings. They are to do just what God requires of them, and according to Scripture. Nothing else will be acceptable to God. And this fact, that what we do is acceptable to God, is the highest recompense we can have. It matters little what people think of us, if God approves what we do. To please Him should be our highest aim; the fact that we do please Him is our highest reward.

Ask yourself these questions, Friend:

Am I focusing on what is important to the Lord?
Am I making a conscious effort to adhere to Biblical truth?
Am I demonstrating a pattern of godly transformation?
Am I presenting my body a living sacrifice according to God's word?

If you answered No to any of these questions then why not get right with God on this account, submit to His will (James 4:7-10) and see the outflow of His power through your obedience (Jn. 15:1-10). Let God's Holy Spirit empower you to make the changes necessary to be more like Christ.

But first, you must be born again! Are you willing to take that first step? It's the only way, Reader (Jn. 14:6)! The Plan of Salvation

When I Die, Tear My Stillhouse Down

II Corinthians 5:1

"For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."

A still house is a make-shift shack tucked and hid somewhere out of sight and scent, where a combination of corn mash, sugar & water are used to distill the ingredients to make a backwood concoction called moonshine, white lightning or mountain dew (No, not the sodie pop). The manufacture was illicit; its distribution was illicit; and the monetary gain was illicit.

The copper (or metal) kettle is as infamous as those moonshiners you see in any old picture. In those same photographs you'll also notice oak barrels. In them was the whiskey where it mixed with charcoal and other sundries like oak chips, apples, honey or Dr. Pepper to give the hard liquor a distinct flavor.

The reason I write about the still house (which, by the way, is a American Southern thing) is that it is an apt metaphor for the sinner's body. In this ramshackle abode dwell all sorts of sinful elements, poisonous compounds. Yet, the body is only part of the equation; sin is a nature and we all have it.

David said in Psalm 51:5, "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me."

In Psalm 58:3, he adds, "The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies."

And, the main source in which sin springs forth is found in Jeremiah 17:9, which states, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Indeed, who can know it but God.

We have no else to blame for our choices but ourselves as a consequence of God's indictment of our nature. And, because there's no hope for any of us, in this life or the next, for absolution from our sinful state and sorry affairs we choose - when faced with this simple truth - to ignore the problem or do something about it.

When people ignore their problem about what to do about their sinful state, they turn to alcohol, drugs, gambling or any other sort of vice. Honestly, it doesn't even have to be something illicit. Anyone or anything that turns your heart away from God is considered an idol. And God made it very clear that He was to be worshipped before anything or anyone else (Exo. 20:3). By the way, the reason people run around doing all sorts

Truly, the only way through the problem of your sinful nature is Jesus Christ. God sent Him to the world to die for your sins (John 3:16) so that, by believing in Him, you would be forgiven and enter into a relationship with God through His Son (I John 1:3; 4:15).

Finally, when that body of sin dies you get a new body. Consider these verses:

1. Romans 6:6 - "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin."

2. Philippians 3:20-21 - "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself."

3. II Corinthians 5:1 - "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."

Here's a few more you all can look up: II Cor. 5:4; 6:16-18. Eph. 4:22-32; Col. 3:9-25.

The only catch is that, in order to have the Holy Spirit indwell within you (Rom. 8:11), you must be born again (Jn. 3:1-7). Ultimately, when you die that ol' body of sin can be put to rest and you will receive a glorious abode. Yes,, we groan in this makeshift stillhouse, but when I'll die, this ol' stillhouse will be torn down. Hallelujah!

Lord, I Want A New Body and A New Hope!

God sent His son, they called Him Jesus
He came to love, heal, and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

Loving God With All You've Got

Matthew 22:36-38

"Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment."

Jesus answered not a disciple who was seeking a deeper truth about understanding what God required of people, but responded to a lawyer who set a trap to tempt Christ. This is the crux of the matter and the kernel of truth: One must love God unreservedly and entirely with the heart, which is the seat of the understanding; the soul, which is the center of will and personality; and, the might, which represents the strength of all the vital corporal powers, both mental & physical. Thus, God wants us to love Him with all that we've got in us (Deut. 6:4-5).

Consider these expressions:

"That was a half hearted effort" means lacking spirit or interest.

"His heart's not in it" means uninterested in something.

A divided heart has torn loyalties. It is pulled in many directions. The Lord wants all of your heart and not most of it, some of it, 89% of it, or a majority of it. He desires ALL of it. The whole stream of our affections, strength, understanding and will must run toward Him.

But, why?

The answer is quite simple: Because that's how God loves us (John 3:16;Rom. 5:8; I John 4:9). He doesn't do anything half way. God does all things well (Mark 7:37).

Here's a secret, of sorts, if you want to know what happens when you love God with all that you've got:

1. By loving God through Jesus Christ, both will come to dwell inside of you through the Holy Spirit (John 14:21, 23; 15:26).

2. Because you're indwelt by the Spirit, you have been set free from sin (John 8:32; Rom. 8:2).

3. There is liberty as a result of the Holy Spirit's indwelling! (II Cor. 3:17)

And it's only a secret because people choose not to know God's word. It's not like He's intentionally hiding His truth from us; on the contrary, we're running from it and by extension from Him, which regretably leaves us loveless; that is, incapable of loving and being loved.

If you're like that lawyer who's looking for a legal loophole then, Friend, you're going about life the wrong way. If, on the other hand, you are sincerely desiring to find a deeper truth, then look no further than this commandment to understand, worship and know God as He is: God IS love.

Read the Scriptures, follow the logic of God's love and trust in His truth. It is important for you to understand who you are (i.e., a sinner) in light of who God is (i.e., holy) and marvel at the wonder of His great mercy at Calvary.

Make no mistake, you are saved by the grace of God and NOTHING ELSE (Rom. 3:28; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8-9).

So, if you choose to love God through Jesus Christ with all that you've got then these promises that Christ made to His disciples are the same promises you can take hold of today IF you accept Him as your Lord & Saviour.

Otherwise, you won't possess the joy of the Christ's Spirit inside of you, especially during the dark trials and valleys you're going to encounter in this life. Faith in Christ, dear Reader, and nothing else is the victory (I John 5:4)!

I Need A Victory Today!

To him that overcomes the foe,
White raiment shall be giv’n.
Before the angels he shall know
His name confessed in Heav’n.
Then onward from the hill of light,
Our hearts with love aflame,
We’ll vanquish all the hosts of night,
In Jesus’ conqu’ring Name.

Faith is the victory! Faith is the victory!
O glorious victory, that overcomes the world.

For Whom Do You Grieve?

Proverbs 24:11-12
"If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?"


I encountered an interesting article on grief and loss on the internet the other day. The discussion centered around the source of people's grief. And the question came up: For Whom Do You Grieve? There were poignant and touching comments made. I'm including some of them here, hoping that it will cause you to ask yourself that very question.

Rebecca J.
He lays in Plot 190 A-1 in the Garden of Eternal Life Cemetary, the man in prearrangements explained and provided me with a map. His headstone is black granite with the words, “Beloved Husband and Father” etched into it in all caps and in a classic font. A life summed up in only four words. It is a single headstone, not the double kind with the wife’s name engraved on the right side, just waiting for her to die. I was glad I didn’t also have to see my mother’s name, the reminder that one day she too would die. After sixteen years, soft grass had grown over his plot, but today, was hidden by snow. My tears made it difficult for me to read, but there I stood. Plot 190 A-1. It had been sixteen years since I stood in that spot, in my only dress, staring at the audience of my father’s friends and business acquaintances. Short of breath, I dropped to my knees and let the snow seep through my jeans. I laid down on the wet earth, resting my cheek on top of the snow, imagining my father’s rotting bones six feet below. He was in a maple casket, his bones decaying inside his best suit. I wondered what his body looked like, if the skin on his face had turned to leather, or if his bones protruded from his rotten flesh. I wondered what stench filled the casket. The smell of death, I imagined, the formal-dehyde slowing fading away. His body has been locked inside that casket for sixteen years. Sixteen long years of being fatherless. Sixteen years, six feet below the soft grass and cold snow. I sat up and punched the hard, winter ground. He was supposed to teach me how to make asparagus soup the morning he died.

Reader, even in the everyday-ness of life, death visits a loved one. Can you imagine that your one last conversation with the one you love could be about the minutae and routineness of life? If you knew that it would be the last time both of you would speak to one another, how would your conversation change? The Bible says, "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:" (Heb. 9:27). But, there is One who is risen. There is only One who can save. Christ alone is the Hope of Glory (Col. 1:27).

Grady Mc.

The father no one even told me about until I was 40 years old which was several years after he died. Although I always ‘knew’ something wasn’t right because I didn’t look at all like my brother, sister or the man who was supposed to be my father, they held onto their well rehearsed stories until it was too late for me to look a the person whom I probably most resemble in the world. So I grieve the man I never knew and the loss of the family who kept the secret for all those years. I imagine how different our relationships would have been & how different I might be if I would have been let in on my own life.

Relationships are the most valuable possession people have. Your very first relationship with your family will impact you - positively & negatively - in your future interactions with others, from friends, spouses, co-workers and the world at large. If you look at how Isaac and Rebekah raised their twin boys, Jacob and Esau, it was unhealthy because each parent had their favorite (Gen. 25:20-34). Probably Grady's parents meant well, but now he is left with more questions than answers. I won't even pretend to know what it's like to have unresolved grief like Grady's. But, this I do know: Christ is our Comforter and peace (John 14:26-27) and will never forsake us or abandon us (Heb. 13:5).

Jen S.

I grieve for children who have been abused, ignored, unloved. I grieve for those who are waiting for a family to call their own, to love them like no one has. A family to make them feel safe, and allow them to smile and have dreams. They are waiting, waiting for someone to say “You are good enough for me to invest in. You are good enough for me to love. You are not broken, you are not unlovable.”
I also grieve for those who are stuck where they are. They have no voices loud enough to get help. They might not know that they need help, because this is reality, this is what happens in families. I grieve for those who are waiting to be rescued. And I’ve learned that it is not enough to grieve. My silent grief, inside my comfortable house will not do the rescuing. I must move, I must act, I must be a part of the rescuing.

Our true Rescuer is Jesus Christ because what profits a man if he should gain the whole world and lose his own soul (Mark 8:36)? There's a hymn that entitled, "Rescue the Perishing". Consider these lines -

Rescue the perishing,
Care for the dying,
Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;
Weep o'er the erring one,
Lift up the fallen,
Tell them of Jesus the mighty to save.

Rescue the perishing,
Care for the dying;
Jesus is merciful,
Jesus will save.

Dear Reader, are you rescuing the persishing with the Gospel of peace? If not, why not? I pray that you will be moved by the entries to reach out to a lost and dying world. People are hurting. They need to know that Jesus Christ cares for each soul out there. Jesus died on the Cross and is the embodiment of John 3:16.

If you aren't saved then, Friend, I need you to make a decision right now that you can't overlook or postpone. Jesus Christ is the Son of God who died for your sins. Without Him, you are condemned to go to hell. Please consider the weighty matter before you. Choose wisely, choose Christ.

Click here: Jesus, Rescue Me Now!

The 2 Visitors

Romans 7:18-19

"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do."

Two visitors came to see me, both at the same time,
Both were trying to win control of my body, heart, and mind

One was dressed quite plainly, one dressed fit to kill,
I couldn’t see the battle they were waging for my will.

One promised to give fame, friends and riches beyond compare,
Anything I wanted, it seemed, and while I was standing there,

He showed me how life could be, for a little while at least,
I couldn’t see beneath the clothes, to recognize the beast.

The other told of hard times, of sacrifice and pain,
Ridicule and persecution, nothing much to gain,

But there was something deep in this visitor’s eyes
That made me feel to choose Him would somehow be wise.

I guess you'll know the outcome by the way my life reflects,
The one I picked, the path I chose, the one that He directs.

So, did I choose so poorly, I wonder as I sing.
But one day I shall see Him, as He truly is:

The awesome King of kings!

compliments of Beth Fisher

When I think of the 2 visitors, I know that they are not one-time callers. They are not only cold-callers, that is, showing up without warning. No, these two can sometimes be spotted long before they reach your front door. In either event, they are opportunistic. These two are determined to influence my thinking, my attitude, my choices and my priorties every day. Not one day passes that they don't come a-knocking.

Here's the thing: As a Christian, the turmoil isn't external; it's internal, between the old man and the new man. In Romans 7:22-25, Paul's line of reasoning points to the crux of the internal struggle -

"For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin."

Indeed, it's humbling to man - the so-called master of his own destiny - to be under the influence of evil passions. And yet, it is what it is. Just look at today's headlines in Any City, USA. You shall find man in all his glorious wickedness in full display. Scan the international news pages and you'll come upon the same bad news. If there is one headline that could sum up all of man's efforts and endeavors in this world, it would be this: Man Sinned Again!

Sin is degrading on man, a stain. It brings him down into the dust. What kind of man thinks he's the master of his destiny and yet be not in control of his sinful propensities and indulgences? A self-delusional one, that's what kind. God said, "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one...For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Rom. 3:10-12, 23)

To the Christian, the mind is overwhelmed with wretchedness, and instinctively sighs for relief. He asks himself: Can keeping the Law help me? Can any man rescue me? Can any innate strength of conscience or of reason mitigate this miserable state of mind? In vain all these are tried, and the Christian then calmly and thankfully acquiesces in the consolations of the Good Book, realizing and understanding and concluding that aid can be obtained only through Jesus Christ.

Yet, there are those who continue to struggle in the flesh with that which cannot be overcome in the flesh. What frustrating misery to live by a code and yet fall short on a daily, nay, hourly, basis. The body is the seat of the fleshly desires; the heart, the control center where decisions are made (Jer. 17:9). The love of the world appertains to the Devil (I Jn. 2:16) - lust of the flesh & eyes and pride of life. But, the decisions come from the heart, dear Reader.

Sin makes us guilty of death. Being unable to free ourselves from it (even in our very best state), we cry out until there aren't anymore tears, just sheer exhaustion, and look for help and deliverance out of ourselves. And that's the rub: We cannot deliver ourselves from ourselves. You might as well be trying to crawl out of your own skin. So, we must cry to the Lord Jesus Christ to deliver us Himself.

Thus, the man, finding there is no help in himself, begins almost unknowingly to pray, Who shall deliver me? That is a question and petition altogether wrapped in desperation. He then seeks and looks for deliverance, until God in Christ appears to answer his question: "Be of good cheer, because I have overcome the world." (Jn. 16:33).

Matthew 11:28-29 states, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

Isn't it time you surrendered your struggles to Jesus Christ? You know you've tried everything else. Speaking with friends. Reading self-help books and philosophical treatises. Scanning the world wide web. Looking for answers that aren't there. Stop living with one foot in the world and one in God's grace. Please, Reader, give Jesus Christ a chance to prove that He indeed is the Prince of peace.

C'mon! What's holding you back? Jesus Christ, My Rest and My Peace

’Tis the grandest theme, let the tidings roll,
To the guilty heart, to the sinful soul;
Look to God in faith, He will make thee whole,
“Our God is able to deliver thee.

He is able to deliver thee,
He is able to deliver thee;
Though by sin oppressed, go to Him for rest;
“Our God is able to deliver thee.

A Lullaby for Believers

John 15:1-5
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
⁴Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."

These verses are among my favorite verses in the Gospel of John. It references our inability to fight the good fight and live for the Lord in our lowly, sickly flesh. And, yet, it also encourages us to live and walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:16). Plus, obedience brings blessings (James 1:25).

So, if you're struggling in your Christian walk, all I can say to you is, Welcome to the club, Pilgrim!

The poem below highlights the Christian's daily struggle. And, if you aren't struggling, dear Believer, then it might be you aren't walking straight!


In the Stillness of the Night

In the stillness of the night
As I lay in bed and try to sleep,
I remember how I blew the fight
And all Your commands I didn’t keep.

I tried, O God, I tried
To strengthen my soul against the dark.
I felt so confident that I would abide.
But when temptation came, I had missed Your mark.

But then as I slept that night
You came to me in a dream.
You said to me, “Try as you may, try as you might,
You will fail, despite what it may seem,

It is not your job to see you through,
It is not your job to feel strong.
I just want one thing for you to do:
Give Me what you tried to do all along.”

So that morning as I awoke
And I knew my sleep was worth its while,
For as I remembered the words that You spoke
I gave to You my temptations and my trials.

I finally admited I was too weak
To face the day without making a mistake.
So to You I lay my life so meek
And I asked You that me You would not forsake.

Day by day You guide me on
And my strength I get from You alone.
All my battles have been won
For in Your strength I have been sewn.

by Geoff Lemke


And, II Corinthians 12:10 rejoices in this Biblical fact: "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

When Christ indwells in you (Gal. 2:20), He does all the heavy lifting and you're just doing all the believing.

Finally, Christ said, "...[B]e of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

Jesus has indeed overcome the world because He is risen!

Look no further than I John 5:4-5 to settle all your doubt, worries and fears:

"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?"

You see, Reader, faith is the victory:

On every hand the foe we find
Drawn up in dread array.
Let tents of ease be left behind,
And onward to the fray.
Salvation’s helmet on each head,
With truth all girt about,
The earth shall tremble ’neath our tread,
And echo with our shout.

Faith is the victory! Faith is the victory!
O glorious victory, that overcomes the world!

It's up to you to believe what Jesus said and did. Do you trust Him today? If you don't, why don't you, Reader? You've read and considered other religions and philosophies. Instead, why not try a relationship with the the Prince of peace, Jesus Christ? Come and see what hope, love, peace, truth and mercy is all about!

Read all about here: I Want A Fresh Start!