"10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel."
Ezra 7:10 (NKJV)

Dear Christian,
Has the fallow ground of your heart been laid bare before God that its field might be plowed by the miraculous working of the Holy Spirit?  Is your heart prepared to receive the seed of His Word?  Have you allowed the Oil of Joy to overflow your vessel in order to keep your lamp burning in the night, ready at any moment for the coming of the Bridegroom?  Have you planted your heart next to the rich and refreshing waters of His Word?  Have you shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace?
 Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah all had key roles in the return to Jerusalem from the Babylonian exile, but not before their hearts were prepared to seek God with their entire being.  God had told Zerubbabel in Zechariah 4:6 that the rebuilding of the temple would occur “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit.”  There is much in this life that can be accomplished for God, but not without the Holy Spirit first preparing our hearts for the work.  Have you prepared your heart to seek the Lord?

May you prepare your heart to be willing to allow the Holy Spirit to work in your life today.

Anchored in Christ,
Aaron R. Force 

“…And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
Acts 20:35 (NKJV)

Though this exact phrase of Jesus is not recorded in the Gospels, it was one that His followers remembered and definitely a message that He preached by the way He lived.  It’s not hard to imagine Jesus using such a phrase after the feeding of the five thousand or the healing of the lame man.
It is an interesting phrase to ponder.  Why is it more blessed to give than to receive?  Perhaps it is because, by doing so, one is loving their neighbor as themselves.  Or maybe it is because it puts one’s faith into action.  When we give, we are practicing the selfless love that Christ has shown to us.  It is amazing how a thoughtful word of encouragement can bring light to a poor souls gloomy day or how providing a meal to a person in need can touch a person’s heart.  Many times, the most cherished gift is not the most expensive one, but the most thoughtful one.
I think of Paul writing to young Timothy, the pastor in Ephesus.  Timothy was at his breaking point when Paul wrote him that first letter.  Though it may have only cost Paul ink and parchment, I’m sure this meant more to his son in the faith than any gift money could buy.  It was a gift that spurred him on; to stay strong in the faith; in the service of the Most High.
Today, remember that it is more blessed to give than to receive.  Be thoughtful in your giving, and be purposeful to walk in the footsteps of Jesus with the way in which He loved others.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
-Jesus

May your works be thoughtful as you serve others today and may they glorify your heavenly Father.

Anchored in Christ,
Aaron R. Force

"9 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him."
2 Corinthians 5:9  (NKJV)

Oswald Chambers once said, “Naturally, our ambitions are our own; in the Christian life we have no aim of our own.”
There is a heavenly calling on the life every believer that compels us to a higher aim in life.  That aim is pleasing our Heavenly Father.  Every action, every thought, and every motivation hinges on the question, “Does this please the Father of Lights?”
As believers, why would we devote our lives to pleasing God and living for Him?  Because He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Eph. 1:3) when He sent Christ to suffer on our behalf and to be our substitutionary sacrifice.  Christ gave His life for us and the least we could do is live our lives for Him.
We are called to walk in the light as He is in the light, but do our lives reflect the brilliance of His Son’s righteousness in all that we do?  
Thankfully, Jesus has not left us alone in this endeavor.  He has given us the Helper to be our ever-present companion as we aim to please the Father.  As the Holy Spirit, the foretaste of glory, indwells our hearts, we become empowered to be a sweet aroma to the Lord in our service to Him.

Make the most of every opportunity God gives you today and may everything be done as a selfless act of worship to Him for He is worthy to receive it.

Anchored in Christ,
Aaron R. Force

"12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure."
Philippians 2:12-13 (NKJV)

There is a reverence, humility, and a soberness that washes over the Christian as they receive the precious gift of salvation.  There is a sense of duty to live a life worthy of the calling to which we have been called knowing that the very thing that has been entrusted to us is that which is most precious.  Why is salvation precious?  Why is of great value?  Because it has been bought with the blood of the Father’s one and only Son.  A drop of His blood is worth more than all the precious metals and gems of the earth combined.  Our salvation has come at a great price.  It is with this in mind that we work out our own salvation with fear and trembling not wanting to trample the grace of God.
 But God has not left us alone in this task.  When we gave our lives to the Lord, the blood of Jesus Christ washed our sins away and we are now clothed with His righteousness.  Let us remember that our lives are His and not our own.  God is constantly and continually working in us His will to do all things according to His good pleasure.

“Here I raise mine Ebenezer—
hither by Thy help I’m come;
and I hope by Thy good pleasure
safely to arrive at home.”
 - Hymn “Come, Thou Fount”

May you rest in the fact that God is working IN you and that He will also work THROUGH you according to His will and good pleasure.

Anchored in Christ,
Aaron R. Force

“3 Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men.”
Mark 2:3 (NKJV)
 
No doubt these four men were called Mercy, Compassion, Love, and Perseverance as they looked upon their helpless friend and carried him where he could not go himself.  Many would have stopped and turned back upon seeing no way to get this man to Jesus.  But not these men.  As Perseverance looks into the eyes of his dear friend lying on the mat, the fire of hope seemed to fade, but was quickly rekindled as he shouted to his other three friends, “We will find a way!”  By doing the unthinkable, they cut a hole into the roof, lowered their friend to Jesus, and their friend was healed.  But when was he healed?  When Jesus saw the faith of his friends.
Perhaps you have been praying for a person to come to know Jesus, but all hope seems to have dwindled.  Perhaps this person runs with the hounds of hell and seems to be lost forever?  If so, then let this story rekindle the fire of faith in heart.  Let it motivate you afresh to be on your knees for him/her.  Lower that person before the feet of Jesus by the rope of faith and see what Jesus will do.  He is able.  Never lose hope.  Never give up.

“Trim your feeble lamp, my brother! Some poor sailor tempest tossed, trying now to make the harbor, in the darkness may be lost.
Let the lower lights be burning! Send a gleam across the wave! Some poor fainting, struggling seaman you may rescue, you may save.”
-Hymn - "Let the Lower Lights be Burning"

Anchored in Christ,
Aaron R. Force

"‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’"
Matthew 22:37-39 (NKJV)

Warren Wiersbe once said, “To love God is not to ‘have good feelings about Him,’ for true love involves the will as well as the heart. Where there is love, there will be service and obedience.”

Is your life defined by service and obedience to God?  Has the love of God been shed abroad in your heart in such a way that it is evident to all?  When was the last time you read 1 Corinthians 13 and took a spiritual evaluation of your life as you asked yourself, “Am I patient?  Am I kind?”
One of the ways to tell if we are walking in the love of Christ is by the way that we treat others.  Our love for others is a direct reflection of our love for God.  Wiersbe says, that “love for God cannot be divorced from love for one’s neighbor.”  If you find yourself snapping at your loved ones or becoming short tempered with them you may want to take a spiritual inventory.  It might just be that you have become like the church of Ephesus in Revelation whose love had grown cold towards God.  If that be the case, then I urge you to plead for the fire of the Holy Spirit to rekindle the flames that once burned brightly in your heart.

“There is a love that can’t be imagined
It comes from the Father of Lights to my soul
It overcomes the darkness that I used to hide in
It covers me and makes me whole”
-“Give You My World” by Phil Wickham

May your love for the Lord burn bright and clear and your serve Him with all of your heart this week.

Anchored in Christ,
Aaron R. Force

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,  who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NKJV)

What a sweet fragrance these words are to the reader!  I love how Paul describes our great God – as the “Father of mercies and God of all comfort”.  All of God’s attributes are lovely, but these two are so refreshing for those with hurting hearts.  God gives us mercy we don’t deserve and let’s admit it, we need a lot of it.  He is also the God of ALL comfort.  It is the essence of who He is.  In fact, He is the source of it!  This passage does such a great job at describing how God, the fountain of comfort, flows to our hearts to minister to us.  It says that He comforts us in ALL our tribulation.  How nice it is to know that the trial we are facing, or ever will face, is met with His comfort.  His loving arms trump life’s greatest sufferings.  

Let that be a comfort to you, dear child of God.  You have a heavenly Father who cares so deeply for you and wants to bring you hope when the darkness is so thick you can’t see.  You may feel that no one cares and that no one is there, but cares and He is there for you.  Lay your burdens down at His feet.  Do as 1 Peter 5:7 says and cast your cares upon Him for He cares for you.

Verse 4 also gives us great hope in our passage today.  Our sufferings become useful to minister to others.  Specifically, in the way that God has comforted us through them.  We are then able to comfort others in the same and share how God comforted us in our hardships.  Don’t miss the opportunity to comfort a hurting heart.  Chances are they need your words of comfort, grace, and compassion more than you know.  A meaningful word of comfort can greatly impact their life and bring hope into their situation.

May you enjoy receiving the priceless treasure of God’s comfort in your troubles and may you pay it forward by spending that treasure of comfort on others.

Anchored in Christ,
Aaron R. Force

"And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."
Revelation 21:4 (NKJV)

Oh, the day when we will be with God in the new heavens and new earth!  I can’t think of a more satisfying thought than to be in the place where God dwells with His people forever.

This passage reveals a small glimpse of this wonderful place.  Consider all of the weeping, mourning, crying, sorrow, and pain that believers have experienced since the beginning of time and then ponder these wonderful words in Revelation that state it will all be wiped away.  I can’t even imagine what it will be like to have God Himself wiping away tears from my eyes, but it sure sounds delightful.  The fact that He will be doing that Himself speaks of His compassion and love for us as His creation.

I can’t help but think of such difficult things such as losing a loved one.  It brings so much grief and tears.  It leaves such a whole in our hearts that it is difficult to describe what one feels in mourning.  Even Jesus, in his humanity, wept at the death of Lazarus.  But how wonderful it is that those tears will be wiped away by God and that sorrow will be no more!

God doesn’t just provide forgiveness of sins and eternal life, but He cares for us in such a way that He wants to take away our pain as well.  What a wonderful God we serve!

May you be encouraged today as you are reminded of how much God loves you, how much He has provided for you, and what you have to look forward to in the new heavens and the new earth.  As a believer, all your sorrow, tears, and pain will be no more.

“And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known”
-Hymn “In the Garden”

Anchored in Christ,
Aaron R. Force

“…we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory…”
Romans 8:23 (NLT)

The thought of God dwelling in me is overwhelming.  Why He would ever love me in the first place is beyond my comprehension.  But this is what the Bible says about Him.  He loves us so much that He has provided a way for us to be cleansed from our sin and to make our hearts His home.  After all, how else could a holy God live inside us?  We must be clean for that to happen.  That’s why after the cross, came the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2.

Think for a moment about the work of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus called Him the Helper that would come alongside of us to console us, lead us, reassures us of salvation, intercede for us and brings to remembrance all that Jesus taught.  The Holy Spirit is the One who convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and the judgement.  He dwells in us, as believers, and He is the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead!  How amazing it is that we have the Holy Spirit in us!

Here in Romans 8, it says that He is the “foretaste of future glory”.  In the Holy Spirit, God gives us a glimpse of heaven.  Take the fruit of the Spirit for instance.  Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control.  All of which are amazing qualities.  Will we find anything less in heaven?  Not at all, but we get to enjoy a small taste of heaven as we see the fruit of the Spirit pour out of our lives as we abide in Christ.  We get to hear the Holy Spirit whisper conviction, love, rebuke, and grace to hearts, but one day we will see Jesus face to face and hear His audible voice with our own ears.  We now only see dimly, but then in heaven, we will see clearly.  Ephesians 1:14 says that the Holy Spirit is God’s guarantee that He will give us the inheritance He promised.

I hope you are joyful and thankful today as you are reminded of the Holy Spirit within us – the wonderful foretaste of glory.
 
Anchored in Christ,
Aaron R. Force

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV)

Behold the crowd who has gone before us.  Men and women just like you and I such as Joseph, Abraham, Moses, Samson, and Sarah.  These were regular people who trusted God.  They are just some of those mentioned Hebrews chapter 11.
The writer of Hebrews points to their lives as encouragement to us to run the race of faith with endurance.  But he gives us a sober warning that there are things that can hinder us from being the best we can be for the Lord.  He calls it “the sin which so easily ensnares us”.  Isn’t that true?  It trips us up so easily and can take us off God’s path in just a moment. 
Hebrews encourages us to fix our eyes on Jesus.  He is the power, strength, and motivation we need for everything.  Have you spent time with Jesus lately?  Or have you let the business of the world creep in?  He wants to lift your head up and keep your mind focused on God.  All we have to do is look to Him.
Don’t forget that Jesus loves you.  Don’t forget what He did for you.  He endured painful scourging, mocking, beatings, and an agonizing death upon the cross…because He loves you.  Why?  Because of the joy that was before Him.  Not only did He sit at the right hand of God the Father, given all authority, but lead the way for an eternal relationship with you.
He has gone to prepare a place for us.  In the meantime, let’s run with endurance the race He has set before us.  All the while keeping our eyes on Jesus.

Anchored in Christ,
Aaron R. Force

"Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two."
Luke 23:35 (NKJV)

Three of the four gospels record the fact that the veil was torn as Jesus dies a brutal death on the cross for our sins.  If three of the four gospels have this account, it must be of great significance.
The veil was a curtain in the temple that separated the holy place from the most holy place (also referred to as the holy of holies).  The most holy place was where the High Priest would go and offer God a sacrifice for the sins of the people.  But he was only allowed to go in once a year.  The most holy place is representative of God’s throne room in heaven.  So, what is the point of all this information you might ask?  Well, when Jesus died, He became the perfect and ultimate sacrifice before God the Father for our sins.
Remember what John the Baptist said when he announced Jesus to the crowd?  “Behold!  The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”  (John 1:29)  Jesus did something that no animal sacrifice could do – He paid for our sins once and for all. 
But I think the thing that is even more important is that He maid a way for us to have open fellowship with God the Father.  When the veil was torn, it is as if God has said that the way to fellowship with Him is open through Jesus Christ.  How comforting is to know that we can go directly to the Father?  We don’t have to go to a person who talks to God for us, we can have fellowship with Him directly. 
And not only that, but there will come a day when those who have believed in Jesus Christ will be united with God the Father forever:

Aren’t you glad the veil was torn and a way to God was made for you?

Anchored in Christ,
Aaron R. Force

"Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it."
Hebrews 12:11 (NKJV)

I’m not sure any of us enjoy being disciplined by the Lord but let me encourage with a few important things to remember.  The first is that if you are being disciplined by the Lord it is a good thing because it means God loves you.  Proverbs 3:12 says that the Lord corrects those He loves.  So, know that God loves you enough to not let you easily stay in your sin.  And that’s a good thing!  Secondly, even though the correction of the Lord is hard right now and even painful, as this verse in Hebrews describes, don’t miss that there is something very good God is producing in your life through it and that is the peaceable fruit of righteousness.  Part of that is being molded in the image of God’s Son as described in Romans 8:29. Isn’t is so encouraging that the discipline you are experiencing is actually doing something in your heart?  I think of a teenage child who is rightly corrected by a parent for being out past curfew.   Perhaps part of the consequence is extra chores around the house and having limited privileges.  IF he learns the importance of obeying the rules, it will all be worth it in the end.  The lesson to be learned is so much deeper than being home for curfew.  Through that small lesson that parent is teaching his child that it is important to operate within the guidelines given to him because life is full of guidelines.  Hopefully this lesson will carry on as the child enters the workplace or college or starts a family.  Being on time is important.
The Lord is doing the same in our life as He disciplines us.  He is trying to teach us a lesson that will guide us, instruct us, and train us for the days to come.  IF we learn the lesson there will be a peaceable fruit of righteousness for us to enjoy.  What a blessing to know that there is good God is working out God’s discipline.  May enjoy the fruit of the lesson we are being taught.  But don’t miss the last part of the verse which says, “to those who have been trained by it.”  Do we have a pliable heart to actually receive instruction from the Lord or do we have a bad attitude as God tries to teach us these lessons for godly living?  We need to have a teachable heart in order to enjoy the fruit.  
Let me leave you with this friendly reminder from God’s Word:

Anchored in Christ,
Aaron R. Force

"A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
Loving favor rather than silver and gold."
 Proverbs 22:1 (NKJV)

When you think about how many hours of our lives is spent in the workplace, it’s astounding.  The average person will spend over 10 years of their life at work.  That’s 90,000 hours!  Why?  Because “we need to earn a living”.  So much of our life is spent making money.

As much time and effort as we spend in making money, this proverb points out that there is something even greater to be desired.  Yes, even that above riches – a good name.  Have you considered what kind of a name you have?  Keep in mind that a good name is not how you describe yourself.  We are all pretty good at patting ourselves on the back, but rather a good name is defined by others as they observe your life.  You might think you’re doing a pretty good job…until you ask you husband/wife, or child how they think you’re doing.  By the way, if you ever ask them that question, be prepared for an answer that might be hard to hear.  But really, there is only one person’s opinion of us that we should be concerned about and that’s God’s.  Do we represent Him correctly in the workplace, at home, and abroad?  Are we like Job as God describes him in Job 1:8 – “…My servant Job… there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?”  What a reputation!  This compliment is coming from God Himself.  Can the same be said of us?  Are we truly God’s servant or are we only concerned with serving ourselves?  Are we blameless people who shun evil or are we full of dark secrets with skeletons in the closet?
 
Why is a good name to be chosen above great riches?  Because a person can be rich, but still be bankrupt.  A person can be rich, but lonely.  A person can be rich, but not well liked.  A person can rich, but not be counted among the friends of God.

Beware of the love of money.  1 Timothy 6:10 says that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.  Money is only temporary, and, in the end, it will leave you empty.  But a good name is something that lasts even into eternity.  Before God each one will receive rewards based on their impact in others lives for the kingdom of God.
 
I pray each of you will be rich in God by having a good name, not just in this life, but in that which is to come.
 
Anchored in Christ,
 Aaron R. Force

"Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ;  not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,  with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men,  knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free."
Ephesians 6:5-8 (NKJV)

It can be difficult working for an earthly master like your boss in the workplace.  We can feel like we are serving under a Saul or even feel like we are a Daniel serving a pagan king in a foreign place.  It’s easy to get discouraged when serving under others who have vastly different beliefs than we do.  But let me encourage you that there is hope even as you serve under difficult people.  As we serve in the workforce, we need to be attentive to where we have our focus and whom it is we are serving.  This verse helps us a lot in this sphere of life.  First, notice that we are not simply serving our earthly masters, but our heavenly One.  Our focus should not be pleasing men, but pleasing God.  Everything we do should be as unto the Lord.  This makes life all that much easier – knowing that the Lord sees our work and will reward us accordingly.  With that change of focus will come the motivation to do all things well, not just what you need to do to get by without getting in trouble.
Have you ever wondered how Daniel, a man of God, was so successful while serving ungodly kings in a pagan nation?  It was because he served, in everything, as unto the Lord.  In fact, even evil men who were jealous of Daniel’s success said of him, “We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.”
If we are good Christians, we will be good workers.  Don’t focus on your boss at work because they are ultimately flawed but set your sight on the ultimate Boss – Jesus Christ.  Work for Jesus in all you do and see if that doesn’t change your outlook on life in the workplace.  I’ll bet it does.

Anchored in Christ,
Aaron R. Force

"Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble…"
2 Peter 1:10 (NKJV)

What if I were to tell you that it is possible to never stumble?  You might think I’m crazy or off my rocker.  I used to think such a thing were impossible myself…until I came to this precious section in 2 Peter 1:1-11.  The passage is broken out into two main sections.  Verses 1-4 speaks of the wonderful things God has given to the believer – “all things that pertain to life and godliness” (verse 3).  And then verses 5-11 speak of the Christians responsibility to respond to the Lord by maturing in the faith.
As we skip down to verse 10, we see an enticing promise in the Lord’s Word – that if we “do these things” we will never stumble.  The question then becomes, what are “these things” spoken of here?  The answer is in verses 5-8.  As we explore these verses, we find that a Christian is not to be stagnant.  They are not to have simply and only believed in Jesus but are to have a responding faith; an active faith; a growing faith.  Our knowledge of Jesus should cause us to be a living participant in the truth.  Peter gives us a list of what a growing Christian looks like.  He says they will model virtue, grow in their knowledge of Christ, persevere, be godly, practice brotherly kindness, and that the love of God will overflow from their life into others.  As we are obedient to put on these godly qualities, something amazing happens – we become a fruitful and productive member in the body of Christ for the glory of God according to verse 9.  And this is the desire of Jesus for believers – that we bear much fruit (John 15:8).  And then, of course, we have our devotional verse of the day here in verse 10 – that if we do these things we will never stumble.
“How is that possible?” you say.  Well, think of this – it is impossible to walk in the flesh and the Spirit at the same time.  Clearly the things mentioned in verse 5-8 are things of the Spirit, and if we are walking in the Spirit, we can’t possibly be in sin at the same time.  To help emphasize this fact, let me remind you of Paul’s words in Romans 8:1 – “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”
I hope these words will be a comfort to you today, my friend.  May you put them into practice and by doing so never stumble.
 
Anchored in Christ,
 Aaron R. Force

"Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."
Galatians 6:1-2 (NKJV)

The first question we must answer is, “What is the ‘law of Christ’?”  We need to look no further than John 13:34. It is where Jesus said to His followers, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”  With that command comes a responsibility to care for each other.
Now, I don’t know very many people who like to address conflict or difficult situations, but because we love one another we MUST come alongside each other when we see someone overtaken in sin.  Our flesh might want to ignore the situation or let someone else talk to that brother or sister about that failure, but we cannot afford to think like that lest we become like those that passed by the man who needed help in the story of the Good Samaritan. 
Let us take note of how this delicate procedure is to take place.  First, we should be spiritual.  In other words, we should be walking in the Spirit and not the flesh.  Secondly, we should come in with a heart, not to simply hold the man under the water of his failure and so drown him, but to give him hope of restoration as 2 Timothy 3:16-17 instructs us through the Word – to rebuke the sin, correct his thinking by using the Word to give him hope, and to show him the way of righteousness.  Thirdly, we must do all of this in a spirit of gentleness.  This fruit of the Spirit is vital in such a sensitive situation.  We are dealing with the precious things of God – the eternal souls of men for whom Christ suffered, died, and rose again.  Gentleness is of the utmost importance.  People seldom like to be corrected, but a person who truly loves them and comes to them with gentleness in their correction is like a person with an infected wound receiving anesthesia before the operation – it makes it easier to remove the thorn that has caused the infection.  Fourthly, we need to be careful that we do not become ensnared by the same trap that our brother has been caught by.  It is a tough spot when two injured soldiers need to be evacuated on a stretcher.  Who will man the stretcher if both of them are injured?
If we see a brother caught by the burden of sin, may we love him like Jesus and take the time to help him out of the pit he is stuck in.

Anchored in Christ,
Aaron R. Force

For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey, And her mouth is smoother than oil; But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword.
Proverbs 5:3-4 (NKJV)

I once heard a prominent preacher speaking on fleeing the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.  He proceeded to speak with a candid and honest tone as he vulnerably admitted “…the lust of the flesh I must flee, for surely it will overcome me.”  There is something we can learn from this preacher – that we should not think we are stronger than what we are.  Let’s face it, we are weak creatures, and we would be foolish to remain in a place of temptation because our flesh lusts against the ways of God and staying there only feeds it and makes it stronger.
Our text paints a vivid picture of the enticement of sexual immorality.  It seems so sweet and smooth but notice where it leads – to bitterness and a sharp sword.  Sexual immorality is so destructive.  In fact, in the next chapter, Solomon warns the reader of such danger as he says, “Can a man scoop a flame into his lap and not have his clothes catch on fire?” (Prov. 6:27)  When tempted with what appears to be such a tasty morsel, consider where that road leads.  Consider the destination.  Think about the division of families, how it wounds of the soul, and the harsh reality that follows by going down such a path.
Proverbs chapter 7 also speaks of the immoral woman and the street she lives on.  Solomon records his observations as he sees foolish men going in and out of her home, some are strong men.  But the end is always the same – it leads to death.  I think one of the main points of applications for the reader is avoid traveling down her street all together.  And that is my encouragement to you dear saint.  Don’t let your heart be fooled by the deceitfulness of lust.  Avoid it at all cost.
 May the Lord guard your heart from all evil today and especially the evil desires deep within your own heart.

Anchored in Christ,
Aaron R. Force

"Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!"
Job 2:9 (NKJV)

Job’s story is a heartbreaking one for sure.  He experienced severe tragedy as his flocks and herds were stolen and his children died unexpectedly.  All of this happened the same day.  Many people at the time thought that bad things happened only to people who were in sin or disobedient to God.  Job’s wife, who was obviously and understandably overcome with grief, didn’t understand how Job wasn’t angry with God as they faced such hardship.  You see, it’s easy for us to get angry with God when we don’t understand what’s happening behind the scenes.  Satan will do anything within his power to break our integrity.
Look at these words from a believer named William Gurnall who lived in the 1600’s as he reflects on the spiritual warfare of Job’s situation:

How about you?  What would it take for you to give up your integrity?  Satan will do anything and everything to try and get you to compromise. 
But Job had something solid to stand on as he faced this difficulty he didn’t understand.  He knew God intimately and he would not sacrifice his loyalty to Him.  May we have such a steadfast spirit when we face situations that are hurtful and confusing because we know that our God is mighty and understands everything we don’t.  Through it all He’s going to be with us and is going to accomplish His purposes.

Trust Him, even when you don’t understand.  In the end, you’ll be glad you did.


Anchored in Christ,
Aaron R. Force

"Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers."
 Ephesians 4:29 (NKJV)

Something amazing begins to happen when a person gives their life to Christ.  A transformation takes place that begins to reshape their entire being.  One of these changes the Holy Spirit does is change the way we talk.  We stop speaking whatever comes to mind.  Instead, we create a checkpoint between our thoughts and mouth that challenge every thought we have.  Does it belong?  Is it something that should be said?  And most importantly, is it going to glorify God?
In our text today Paul encourages believers not to allow any unwholesome or corrupt word to proceed from their mouth.  In other words, we should not speak worthless words to one another.  The word “corrupt” gives us a graphic picture of something that is decaying, spoiled, or rotten.  So, you can imagine what kind of effect corrupt words have on the hearer.  Such words shouldn’t be found in the believer’s vocabulary.  This includes profanity, putting people down, gossip, etc.
Instead, Paul gives us a clear picture of how we SHOULD talk to others.  Our speech is to be “good for necessary edification”.  Our speech is to meet a need of the hearer.  Its purpose is to edify.  The word edification is actually a metaphor.  The same Greek word translated “edification” is used elsewhere in the scripture to describe the construction of a house.  This helps understand that our speech should not only be good to meet the need of others, but also has an upward focus – to build them up in Christ.  The result is that it should “impart grace” to them. 
May we, as the body of Christ, be sensitive and full of grace to meet the need of others with our words and may the hearers be edified for the glory of God.

24       Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.
Proverbs 16:24

Anchored in Christ,
Aaron R. Force

He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.
Romans 4:20-21 (NKJV)

Abraham, the father of faith, trusted the promise of God even in the face of what appeared to be impossible.  God had promised him a son.  But he and his wife were passed child-bearing years, how could such a thing happen?  As you can imagine there would have been lots of reasons to doubt that this would actually take place.  But notice Abraham’s faith – “He did not waver at the promise of God…”  Faith is taking God at His word.  It is believing that God will do the very thing He said He would.  And this can be very hard.
How many times have we wavered in our faith over things that were so much smaller than the difficulties that Abraham faced?  I know I have.
One of the things we can learn from Abraham’s example to us is that he gave glory to God.  Praise is so important in the Christian’s relationship with the Lord.  Praise remembers who God is, what He has done, and gives Him glory for it all.  This can greatly help the Christian because it reminds him of how great his God is and, in turn, it helps strengthen His faith.  It helps him continue to be fully convinced that what God has promised He will perform. 
If you ever find yourself tempted with unbelief, doubt, or fear then praise your Father in heaven because He will remind you of His greatness as you do and He will strengthen your faith.
May we be bold in our faith and encouraged by the Holy Spirit as we continue to trust in the promises of God.  In time, like Abraham, our eyes will see the promises of God come to pass.

Anchored in Christ,
Aaron R. Force

“Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it."
Mark 8:34-35 (NKJV)

Here Jesus explains very clearly what it means to be His disciple.  It doesn’t just mean having a “desire” to follow Him, but there has to be action behind that desire.  Jesus says that if we want to be His disciple we must first deny ourselves.  We must come to the reality that life is not all about us.  It’s not about what we want.  There is something greater and that has been displayed for us in the life of Jesus – to follow God will all our hearts.
Secondly, we must take up our cross and follow Jesus.  The cross of Christ is so significant.  It represents Jesus, God in the flesh, who came down to willingly serve His creation by giving His life for them.  Jesus laid down all of His wants and desires to follow the will of God the Father, even when following His will required great cost.  When Jesus calls us to do the same, He means that we must follow God’s will for our lives and sometimes that is very difficult and even painful.  Let’s face it, sometimes God calls us to do things that we just don’t want to do.  Like loving our enemies and praying for them.  Jesus makes it really clear that if a person is unwilling to lay down their life for the sake of following Him, he cannot be counted as His follower.  The cost of following Jesus is great, but the reward far outweighs the difficulty and sacrifice.
In a personal journal entry made in 1949, a missionary by the name of Jim Elliott, who ended up giving his life for the sake reaching a lost people for the Gospel, said:

Let us have such boldness for Jesus that we are willing to sacrifice everything to follow Him, never losing sight of the eternal weight of glory ahead of us.

Anchored in Christ,
Aaron R. Force

“Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them."
Joshua 1:2 (NLT)

There comes a time in every generation to take up the mantle of the previous generation.  In this case, one of the greatest leaders has passed on into eternity – Moses.  Joshua receives news from the Lord that he is to take up the special privilege of leading God’s people into the promise land.
There are several lessons we can learn from Moses and Joshua’s life.  First, leadership is something precious that God gives few of His people.  It’s not a right someone has, but rather a sober opportunity and task that God gives to those He chooses.  We should never lead people with a harsh attitude or a condescending spirit, but with humility and respect.
Secondly, the position of leadership is temporary.  It’s only for a season.  In due time the Lord will pass that position onto someone else.  Moses, as great as a man as he was, still died and it was Joshua whom the Lord chose to finally lead the people into the promise land.  With that in mind, we need to pour into and train the next generation of leaders by being good examples and allowing them observe what it means to be a leader.  Joshua was very close Moses and was able to observe his prayer life and his relationship with God.  He saw Moses have to make difficult decisions and even observed his failures. 
Thirdly, don’t miss the opportunities to watch and observe your leaders right now because God just might call you as He did Joshua by saying “the time has come for you to lead”.  Don’t miss the chance to grow in your spiritual walk and to be discipled by those who are more mature in the faith than you are.

Anchored in Christ,
Aaron R. Force

“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
For wisdom and might are His.
And He changes the times and the seasons;
He removes kings and raises up kings;
He gives wisdom to the wise
And knowledge to those who have understanding.”
Daniel 2:20-21 (NKJV)

There is a King who is above all kings.  He is our God.  The same God who appointed king Nebuchadnezzar and king Cyrus is the same God who appoints our president.  This should give us great hope no matter who our leader is because God brought the pagan king Nebuchadnezzar to such a humble state that he realized and acknowledge the Lord as the one true God.  May He do the same with each leader we have appointed over our home country.
No matter who our leader is, remember the One who changes the seasons, raises up kings, and gives wisdom and understanding to those who seek Him.  Remember that it is not in a human leader we put our trust, but God and God alone.
May God be forever glorified and lifted up among us - His followers.

Anchored in Christ,
Aaron R. Force

“When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. And there they are, hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent, with the silver under it.”
Joshua 7:21 (NKJV)

The Lord’s instructions to the Israelites as they entered the promised land and approached Jericho were very clear.  One of which was to plunder nothing from the wealthy city for personal gain.  All the gold was to go to the treasury of the Lord.  It was for the Lord and the Lord alone.
A man by the name of Achan disobeyed the Lord’s instructions as mentioned in the verse above and his sin was found out.  He had taken a Babylonian garment, some silver, and a wedge of gold.  He may have thought no one was watching him, but the Lord sees all.  He may have looked right and left but failed to look up.
Our failure in sin is that we do not have a healthy fear of the Lord.  If we truly understood that God is always with us and sees everything we do, we would be far more obedient then we are.  Like Achan, we tend to look to the left and the right but fail to look upward toward God because we are more concerned about what we want then what He wants.
There are several things we can learn from the life of Achan.  First, notice the progression from temptation to sin: “I saw…I coveted…I took…”  This is exactly the stages that James lays out for us regarding temptation in 1:14-15:
“14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”
God always gives us a way out.  Achan failed to understand that God is everywhere and sees everything.  Secondly, he failed to give God that which belongs to Him.  Thirdly, he was unable to enjoy that which he had stolen.  Obtaining things outside of God’s provision will never be enjoyable long term.
May we practice the presence of God by honoring Him at all times.  Even when we think no one is watching.  Let us always remember to look up.
 
Your brother in Christ,
Aaron R. Force

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."
John 1:14 (NKJV)

I stand in awe as I read these words afresh: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”
God, Ruler in the highest heaven, Creator of all things, the Holiest of all came and dwelt among mankind.

The Apostle Paul tries to grasp this amazing truth as He wrote to the Christians in Philippi these words:
“…Christ Jesus,  who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,  but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”

What God would come and live with His creation?  What God would come to purposely dwell in a broken world?  What God would come and die to save His creation?  Only our God!  Out of His great love and care for us He came to make a way for us to be with Him forever.  Have you taken the way to Him?  Have you beheld Him?  Have you stood in the rays of His glory?  Have you experienced the blessing of grace and truth that overflow from His vessel?  

What a joy we have in Jesus as we bask in the light of His glory and grace!  Let us remember all that Christ has brought us when He came and dwelt among us.

Anchored in Christ,
Aaron R. Force