KLOVE Radio Features – November 2023

A Nation Waiting To Be Conquered –

Have you ever wondered what it takes for a nation to be conquered? What took out the Roman and Grecian Empires? The same thing that upends individuals. Moral and social decay, internal divisions, economic decline, and being invaded by enemies. They were porous to deception, and ripe to be conquered. Unless we, as individuals, have a solid moral core, a conviction to resist the enemy of our soul, and a longing to be one with our Creator and do His will, we will gradually open the borders of our heart and mind to evil entities intent on killing us. It’s happened throughout history, and we are not exempt from the consequence of bad judgments, silly thinking, and naïve decision-making. There is no other safe foundation outside of a relationship with Jesus Christ: the God who came to Earth to rescue us. 

How We Want To Be Remembered

Each of us want to be seen, remembered, and valued. In the Book of Nehemiah, he prayed three times, “God remember me!’ (Nehemiah 5:19, 13:14, and 13:31) But there was a specific intent to Nehemiah’s request. He was asking God to remember the “good he had done.” I believe it is a prayer God wants to remember for each of us. Once we’ve received what Jesus did for each of us by dying for our sins and conquering death, we are now clothed with His robes of righteousness; the good that God has done on our behalf and not the foolishness of our past decisions. The Bible says, It is the goodness of God that leads us to change, turn from our sin, and repent. (Romans 2:4) Because God is good, His greatest longing is for His children to be good as well. And that’s exactly what He accomplished when He died and rose again. 

Asking For The Greatest Challenge

Would it surprise you if I said that we are each hard-wired to long for and embrace the greatest challenges in life? No one’s praying to be a “weak person.” No one’s hoping to be defeated by the pressures of life. We each want to be strong and able to stand, whatever attack of the enemy comes our way. That’s why Caleb, when he was 85 years old, requested that his inheritance in the Promised Land be to fight the biggest, “bad-est” giants who lived there. It was a desire God had placed in his heart more than 40 years before. Caleb said, “…I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war…” (Joshua 14:11) Don’t ask God for “easy.” It’s a silly prayer.

Love is Kind

No word is more misused than “love.” So, what is true love really like? The Bible says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5) Sounds like God, doesn’t it? And what we should be like as well. No one wants to hang around unkind people. Proverbs says, “Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.” (Proverbs 16:24) The New Testament says, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (Colossians 3:12) Jesus, make me compassionate, kind, humble, gentle and patient. Make me like You. For only then can I represent You well as your son or daughter.. 

God’s GPS

What is hovering 12,000 miles above the Earth, and costs $2 billion a year to maintain? It’s the GPS, the Global Positioning System: 32 satellites, determining where we are in our vehicles, and how much time it takes to get from one location to another. It reminds me of the Spirit-realm, and mimics what God does for each of us, if we let Him. If we ask Him, God will show us where we are in His plan, and how we can get to where we need to go. The challenge is not in whether He really knows. It’s whether or not we choose to believe Him. Most people live “lost.” Because they don’t want to trust the only Person who knows who we are, where we are, and where we need to go to live fulfilled, blessed lives, they wander from one unfulfillment to another. Trust Him!

Religion vs. Relationship

As a young boy, Religion drove me to atheism, while a Relationship with Jesus Christ transformed my life. That’s the BIG difference between Religion and Relationship. It’s the distinction between a house and a home; between renting and buying; shacking up or getting married. One implies a place to temporarily reside, the other a dwelling that lasts a lifetime. Religion provides a false comfort, a conscience soothing relief from the pressures of life, while a fully surrendered Relationship with Jesus Christ heals the heart, transforms the mind, enlightens the Spirit and establishes the union with God that He created us to have. Don’t settle for a repetitive ritual that leads to numbness. Pursue an unpredictable intimacy with the God Who alone can provide the fulfillment we long for.