Author: Scott

Rich Mullins was a Contemporary Christian artist. He was very talented as a songwriter and recording artist. He even wrote music for Amy Grant. You might recall one of his songs: Awesome God. It was a very popular song when it came out. But as talented as Rich was, he had some very deep conflicts. Internal and external. They stemmed way back to his childhood. He didn’t get along very well with his father. And his demons lead to issues like alcoholism and anger. Things he battled a long time. There was a line of the movie that stuck out to me: “God loves us for who we are. Not for who we want to become.” And that’s perfect for someone struggling. 

I have been reading a lot on conflict these past few days. How it can bring us down. How it can affect our relationships with others. It is amazing how even though we try to not let it impact us, it can do so. We can try to act like it doesn’t. But I imagine most of us know what I’m talking about. We go about our daily activities with the conflict in the back of our minds. It doesn’t go away. Especially if it’s conflicts with someone externally. And then someone, not knowing so, brings their name up. Or maybe you see them someplace. Internal conflict. External conflict. Either way. It’s still there. 

Unfortunately, we are all going to experience some type of conflict at some point in our life. The good news is no matter what we’re going through, God can show us his grace. God‘s love is greater than any conflict we ever go through. And since we have his love and grace on our side, conflict can be temporary. And if it’s temporary for us, then it is a season. Seasons come and go. And that’s the good news. The hard part is that it could be difficult for us to find the root of what’s causing the issues. Sometimes they are obvious. Other times not. But no matter what we’re going through, let’s not lose sight on the fact that our faith can get us through. Let’s not lose sight on God. Not loose sight of his grace. Just remember he loves us for who we are. And just as the song proclaims, “Our God is an awesome God.”

Barbara and I have been blessed to have three amazing children. And we have five incredible grandkids. Our family gives us amazing joy. So much joy. We smile when we think about them. We have a group text going. And when our phone dings because one of them has put a message out, we don’t waste time opening it. Because most often, one of them is sending us a photo or a funny meme. FaceTime has been an amazing tool to keep touch with our daughter and son-in-law stationed at Gulfport, Mississippi. It’s helped us keep up with our grandsons. Liam loves telling us about his monster trucks. The point here is, we love our family.

As much as family can provide us with great joy, we can also find sorrow. Deep sorrow. Tension within family or friends can be heartbreaking. Sometimes it seems like no matter what you do, it doesn’t go away. You can’t seem to get it to end. It’s always there. It can be immediate family or friends. Or maybe it’s outside the house or outside your close circle. It can be something that they are the root of. Or maybe it’s something that you caused. Doesn’t matter. Tension like this is heartbreaking. And for some reason, we seem to let our pride get in the way of healing it. I find that confusing and interesting.

I think we all want peace and harmony. Especially within family and friends. I think that Satan realizes that if he can divide families and friends, he can keep us from doing God’s work. He knows that he can preoccupy us with the divide. He knows that our hearts will be tied up with what’s going on. He knows that as times like this happen, we must still live. We have daily lives. Work must be done. Bills must be paid. Etc. We must remember that he is sneaky. This is all part of the spiritual warfare we’ve been talking about recently. He attacks our hearts. Gets us pointing fingers at each other. Letting our pride get in the way of our healing. Makes us think that it’s up to the other person to take the first step. That’s pretty clever on his part. So today, let’s do what we can to heal our hearts. Let’s let Jesus take control. If we can do that, then we can heal the tension. Just think how strong our relationships will be with Jesus at the center.

Every now and then we hear stories about heroes. Military, civil servants, and civilian heroes. Stories where they put others before themselves. Without hesitation. Literally sacrificing their lives to save another. Read that again. People who literally gave their lives so another could live. Their last actions on earth were saving others. And there’s a good chance many of them realized this. That they were not going to make it out of the situation. That’s amazing. No question. Simply amazing. Does that sound like any other sacrifice that we know of? 

Obviously, you probably realize I’m comparing this to the sacrifice that Jesus made. His last action on earth was to die for us all. That’s quite possibly the greatest action ever taken by a man. Ever! He went to the cross for us all. There is no doubt that’s pretty amazing. And what’s even more amazing, is the fact that he still had us on his mind as he died. Because he loved us. He loves us now. He’s going to always love us. Could you do that?

I would like to think that I would lay my life down for my family. My wife. My kids. My grandkids. That I would be willing to take their place if it came to that. The Bible tells us that there is no greater love. So I would hope that I would be able to do so if ever I needed to. But would I really? What a tough question. And what a tough question it would be if one of them had betrayed me. Just as Jesus was betrayed. Would I still be willing to do so in that situation? Now, I’m not comparing myself to Jesus. But, I am saying that we should all follow his example for us. Should we die for somebody else? That’s for you to decide. Should we love others like Jesus? The answer to that is always going to be most definitely YES. So today, let’s work on loving others like Jesus loves us. I know that may be hard. It’s hard for me. But we should be doing so. Let’s follow his example.

We’ve talked recently a few times about different issues and problems that many of my friends have been going through lately. Difficulties that seem so hard to overcome. Some of these have been due to attacks from the outside. Some of them have been brought on by themselves. But they are definitely having some hard times. We can also look at what’s happening at the national level. And worldwide. So many things taking place. We can’t turn away from it. Because it’s always there. And I really believe that this is a spiritual war taking place. Many of us internally. And many of us externally. 

The human part of us wants to reason why it’s happening. Figure it out. Look for answers. I’m guilty of that. But, I would like to suggest this. Spiritual warfare is because of Satan attacking. If you have been reading these devotions for any length of time, certainly you have read one where we mention that he is very sneaky in how he attacks. That’s because he is a snake. He is a serpent. Hiding. Waiting for opportunities. His opportunities come in the forms of our friends, families, jobs, hobbies, etc. He uses any means that he can. And even with God on our side, we still try to make sense of it. As we said, that’s human. I promise you this, nothing will make sense. Unless we view it as spiritual warfare.

Now…we must focus on how to fight this type of battle. Here’s what I believe. You may disagree. But this is what I believe. We must pray. Pray for the Lord to intervene. Not just in the middle of the battle. But to intervene by going right to the hearts of everyone involved. Including us! This type of prayer is going to give us the peace that we need to internally overcome what we’re going through. It will also give us the wisdom and knowledge we need. Obviously, we can’t control the hearts of others. So we may not see their hearts change. But we still must pray. Because God can take over their hearts too. I’m not saying just sit back and watch things happen. I’m saying let’s God lead our actions. If we do this, then we will have the weapons necessary to expose the evil that Satan is orchestrating. Then that will help us defeat it.

Recently, I have had a variety of conversations with many different people. One conversation was about the struggles that a friend of mine has been going through for the past few years. Trying to determine his next step. Then the next was with someone in a very similar situation. Been going through some struggles. Also trying to figure out his next step. There were a few more very similar types of conversations. With other people that are struggling. All trying to figure out their next step. Then there were those conversations with people that are doing good work. Having difficulties. But not struggling. Simply going day by day. Doing God’s work. Also working on their next step. 

Now…here is what is awesome about every conversation that I had. No matter what it is we talked about. No matter what it is that they are facing. The struggles. The difficulties. The successes. The next step. No matter what. Everyone of them talked about serving God. Following God‘s plan. No matter what! And that is awesome. That is very motivating and humbling. One of our volunteers sent me a message with a quote: “Your mission is to love, serve, and share the Hope of Jesus Christ. Your mission field is wherever you are.” 

Her message hit home. It really did. And I find it very fitting. It goes right along with every conversation that I had. No matter where we are, we can love. No matter where we are, we can serve. And no matter where we are, we can share the Hope of Jesus Christ. No matter where we are! God can use us in ways we can never imagine. Wherever we are. Even when we are trying to figure out our next step. Even when times seem difficult. God‘s grace can still be shown. So today, please remember your mission field is wherever you are right at this moment. Realize that and find a way to serve. Maybe with your family. Maybe with your friends. Maybe with your neighbors. Somebody at the store. Do what you can to show God‘s grace. No matter where you are.

Today is Anna‘s 21st birthday. It’s hard to believe that our youngest child is 21 years old. But that’s where we are. She’s 21. She’s married. She no longer lives with us. Seems like it happened so quickly. We’re happy for her and proud of her too. With everything else going on, this year she has been figuring out what career she wants in life. Trying to figure out where God is taking her. And that has been our advice to her the whole time. The same advice that we gave to our other two children. Same advice that was given to a Barbara and me as well. To let God guide her footsteps. Let him lead her. Even when bumps in the road come, never lose sight of God. Even when the “wilderness” tries to cover her up, never lose sight of God. Because where he’s taking her…is greater than she could have ever imagined for herself.

And that’s the same for all of us. The same promise to everyone of us. God promises us that the wilderness is not our destination. It’s not where we are going. It’s merely a bump in the road. And we can get over bumps. And if we do everything that God tells us to do, we will get through anything that we are facing. And that includes the dark times. Actually, the dark times can become glorious times because of God‘s grace through it all.

I have found myself in those places many times. I allowed myself to go there. My decisions led me there. Especially when I was trying to figure out my path. My course. Because…I was doing it alone. I was battling it by myself. Didn’t think I needed help. Didn’t think I needed God to show me. And that is because I did not know God. I did not have a relationship with him. Often times, we don’t know what we need, until we get what we need. And that’s exactly what happened with me when I developed a relationship with Jesus Christ. I knew right then. I knew that I needed him to guide me. We all do. So today, let him lead you. Let him guide you. Let him show you the path. And the destination is going to be amazing. 

The last couple of days I have been able to witness some amazing acts of people serving others. I have also been able to read about some. People doing things just because they should. People doing things because their hearts tells them to do so. People doing things because that’s what we are supposed to do. Serve others. I have read about a friend of mine changing a tire for somebody he doesn’t even know. Another friend of mine went out of his way to push a stranded vehicle out of an intersection. And yesterday, a veteran that I know…purchased a vehicle for another veteran that I know. And then another veteran I know, helped with getting the right battery for him from AutoZone. 

We are called to serve one another. To lower ourselves below others, and lift them up. Jesus gave the perfect example to the disciples. The last night he had with them, he taught a very important lesson. One that we should all learn from. One that we should all follow. Even when he knew he was going to be betrayed, he still served. Even when he knew he was going to be arrested, he still served. Even when he knew he was going to be crucified, he still served. He served by washing feet. He lowered himself below his disciples and washed their dirty feet. Now ask yourself if you would do this. Some of you might. And that’s awesome.

He didn’t do that simply to wash their feet. It was a lesson. Teaching the disciples, and all of us today, how to truly serve others. You lower yourself. That’s exactly what he did. Something that we all need to self analyze about ourselves. So today, let’s look at ourselves and determine if we are serving others. Let’s look at ourselves and determine if we are serving ourselves over others. Let’s be honest. Then, let’s find opportunities to serve others. If we’re having a hard time finding them, let’s create opportunities to serve others. And don’t think that little deeds don’t matter. They all do. We have no idea what we are going to do, at a certain moment, for a certain person, who’s going through a certain difficulty, that could possibly change their lives. Read that again. And again. And again. God‘s timing is always perfect. And if we serve others through him, it will be perfect as well.

It has been 34 years since the last time I dunked a basketball. The last time I played a pick-up with some friends. The last time I ran onto a floor to warm up for a game. But as much as I have missed doing those things, what I miss the most is the preparation that it took to do those things. I loved practice. I loved the feeling that my body had after a workout. I loved the pain. I loved everything about it. Call me crazy, but I loved the “burn” that my body felt. I loved it, because I knew what the result was going to be. I was ready for what was coming. And just as much as my physical workouts were preparing me for the games ahead, the same could be said about preparing ourselves spiritually for what is coming ahead.

God will put us through tests. He will put us through trials. Both of those can include temptations. Honestly, both of those probably will include temptations. But why is it that he would do this? The answer is simple. He’s preparing us. Something is coming. And he knows it. And he knows that we are not ready for it. So he puts us through moments to build our spiritual strength. He allows those times to happen to build our spiritual strength. Sometimes those moments require a lot of action on our part. Other times those moments require us to sit back and let God work in our hearts. Either way, he’s building us. We are going through the “burn” spiritually.

Just as much as I have been through the burn of physical training, I have been through the burn spiritually as well. I met with a dear friend who has been going through the very same thing for a while. And we both know that God is preparing him for something. Something that he wasn’t ready for before this difficult time. So he is working on building his spiritual strength. So when the time does come, he will be ready for the task at hand. So today, ask yourself: “Am I prepared spiritually? And I’m ready to face what’s coming my way?” Be honest with yourself. Today prepare your hearts for the burn. So when the time does come, you will be better prepared for going through it. So on the other side of you hard time, the next difficulty will be easier to handle. And people will see that. And they will know it’s God‘s grace. And they will want it. And there’s not anything more powerful than that.

Yesterday we did a devotion that talked about the divide that we’re seeing in our country. How people go after each other on social media. Disagreeing causing division. And we made a point that this is a spiritual battle we are fighting. A battle of the heart. And let’s just say, the response to yesterday’s devotion was pretty big. We heard from several of you. It appears that many of you are seeing and feeling the same things that we are. We are in agreement that this is a battle against evil. The evil that’s attacking our hearts.

This morning I wake up and my readings include the topic of God wanting an inward change of our hearts. He’s not too concerned about our outward appearance. Because what’s important is what is going on on the inside. Because if our hearts are pure, then what we do will be pure. Being pure is part of God‘s grace. Plain and simple. We can act the act. We can talk the talk. That will only take us so far. But, if our hearts are pure, what we do will make a lasting impact. And people will see that. They will feel it. They will want that. And God knows that.

Some of you might be asking how is it that God can purify our hearts if we are stuck in a rut. Wondering what good can come of it. I believe that God uses trials to purify our hearts. Much like going through a “fire” in our lives. After going through it, our hearts will be more pure if we seek God through those moments. And that is where I see us getting through this division. Through this great divide in our country. In our world. I see it as the only way to get us through this. The ugliness can only be defeated by pure hearts. So today, let’s work on purifying what’s inside of us. Let’s work on developing bonds. Defeating division. Defeating hate. Let’s stop the pointing fingers at each other. And let’s understand this last point: Let’s work on letting God take control. Because that’s the only way we should fight the spiritual warfare against evil.

It’s election year. November is rapidly approaching. And just as we have seen in past years, there have been topics that have lit “fires” in the main stream and social media platforms. Once again we see people taking sides. We see people bashing one another for their thoughts. We see ugliness coming out. Watching it take place is somewhat depressing. Let’s think about it for a moment. Let’s look at the reason for division. 

I think the division that we are seeing is exposing that there is a problem in our hearts. I think it is exposing that there is a spiritual problem in our country. Just think about what took place a couple weeks ago. We watched an assassination attempt on TV. One spectator lost his life while shielding his family. Two others were critically injured. The bullet was 1 inch away from killing Donald Trump. And yet, there was still tremendous amount of ugliness on the different social media platforms. To the point people were applauding the death of the husband/father. To the point where people were commenting on wishing the shooter would’ve been more accurate. I shouldn’t have been shocked by what I was reading. But I was. 

Social media has made a pathway for people to voice their opinions. And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. But, when we catch ourselves attacking one another by typing vile things about each other, that shows the problem of our hearts. I’m not going to try to influence you to vote one way or another. I believe that’s between you, your convictions, and God. I’m not going to promote one candidate over another. But I am going to say this. We need to be praying for the family that lost their loved one. He was a true hero. We need to be praying for the family of the shooter. I know that’s probably not the popular thing to do. But there’s a 20 year old that is now dead. My daughter is his age. I couldn’t imagine the sorrow they are feeling. We need to be praying over our country and our hearts. Let’s let God bring us together. I believe that he is the only way for us to purify our hearts. And to unite. Some people say that unity in our country is a lost cause. And they might be right. But…We can still work on our hearts. We can still work on loving each other. Serving each other. Showing the hope and love that can only come from Jesus. And that my friends can bring us together.